Where It All Began
by FinalSerenity
Summary: After 5 years Helga's returned to Hillwood from an unexpected place. Phoebe's a little spastic, Gerald's the student body player, Culy's got a mowhawk and Arnold meanwhile is having his own issues with the new girl who looks suspiciously familiar...
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Hey Arnold, I wish I could so I could finish it and finally get Helga and Arnold to a place where they belong but this fan fic, is just gonna have to do!

A Continuation…

== Hey Arnold! ==

**WHERE IT ALL BEGAN**

By: Final Serenity.

Prologue:

_The Day She Came Back…_

* * *

She wasn't sure what to say.

It'd been so long since she'd actually spoken to _her_ in person that her tongue was conflicted with several different phrases or greetings that might be appropriate.

But it didn't calm her nerves in the slightest.

How long had it been since she was in the company of a childhood friend that was hardly forgettable, she'd received few letters and postcards but no phone calls or visits. This meeting would be the first in oh…five years. Had it really been that long since she'd been in physical contact with a girl that had impacted her childhood so much?

Phoebe Heyerdahl sighed as she checked her watch, a quarter past eight.

The airport smelled of bad hamburgers and feet, there were several couples sitting together and cuddling while others were squabbling or trying to manage their rambunctious children. There were business men with briefcases and single women with lonely eyes. The seats were a horrible tangerine hue discolored over the years with unsightly yellow spots, and unbearably uncomfortable. Most of the patrons awaiting their departure bared the cold of the airport to use their coats as seat comforters.

Phoebe however vaguely had a distinct notice of the place; it was a small airport, Hillwood being barely over the population of a city so it wasn't anything to gawk at.

But the announcement over the intercom made her wince they were now letting all the passengers off of flight two sixteen…the same flight that she had been waiting here for. Her fingers clenched the small pamphlet that she'd picked up to browse through on her wait. Phoebe felt her nerves finally kick in, after all these years she'd finally see what had become of her once most trusted best friend. She wondered if she would come face to face with the same personality that had a fire lit with harsh and scolding flames. Or would the personality that had once been so fierce have calmed and become soothing over the years and learned that not all things need to be solved with a fist to the face.

What had become of _Helga Pataki?_

Surely not one of her former classmates would speak of her fondly at all; every single one of them would proudly state that they were happy to be rid of the bully.

Phoebe understood the animosity between her now closest group of companions and the once former torturer of P.S. One Eighteen elementary school. She wondered even though the years have passed and little has been stirred up between the forces that collided back then, if this return of Helga was going to signal the reoccurrences of bullying and torture…

Phoebe sincerely hoped and wished, as she clasped her hands together intertwining her fingers, that after all these years…Helga had let Betsy and the five avengers go.

Standing up as the door from the entryway opened and the flight attendants stood next to the entrance, the passengers started exiting out one by one. She watched carefully for the blonde haired patrons that sauntered out but there were few and mostly men, almost catching her breath at the thought that Helga hadn't made the flight her eyes widened in startle.

At the end of the trickle of passengers, was a semi-tall young and curvy girl with exceptionally long shiny blonde hair walking out.

Phoebe felt her throat constrict in surprise and shock, this girl was not your average beauty that walked around a mall and caught your eye for only a few seconds. Around the height of five six and long golden locks that cascaded what seemed like forever downer her back were curled at the ends, she had a body that would make even the most gorgeous model jealous. Her face with startling features like well shaped cheek bones, and almond shaped deep-blue eyes that were half lidded and had a distinct coldness to them. Phoebe was surprised that such beauty could be tainted with the chilling aura that surrounded this hauntingly gorgeous girl.

The young blonde woman walked with a brisk quick-step, her bag bounced on her hip it was a dark shade of crimson a deep red that seemed lusty for just a handbag. Her dress was a soft mauve hue with spaghetti straps and white lace on the front making it look like a bodice, her skirt whipping around her knees as she walked quickly. Her back now to Phoebe, the young Asian was startled as she noticed that the sheen blonde hair was pulled into a half-ponytail and held by a bright…pink bow.

Phoebe wasn't sure…she let her eyes dart over to the now empty entrance of the airplane to the young girl making a quick break for the exit she bit her lip, and called out.

"Helga!!!" her voice echoed in the plastered walled, and linoleum covered floor area.

The blonde-haired beauty stopped in step and shifted her head left to right in search, before tilting her head slightly back and staring dead into Phoebe's eyes.

Embarrassed she blushed profusely, her cheeks almost going as crimson as the girl's bag. "Sorry I…wasn't sure…if you were…I mean…"

The girls eyes had widened slightly, Phoebe noticed a considerable change as the blonde turned and walked closer, her eyes no longer cold but had softness…a smile if you could describe it that way.

The girl flicked back her hair and smiled a charming smile, the glossy lipstick on her mouth sparkling. "Phoebe." She stated.

Phoebe was almost again startled enough that her breath stopped, a thick French accent came from the girl, and for a split-second she wondered if she'd made a mistake.

"_I_'m so _h_appy to _s_ee _y_ou!" the blonde spoke in her heavy accent, as she flung her arms around the tinier Asian and squeezed.

Phoebe was chocking on words this was so strange and this girl…could it really be Helga G. Pataki!?

"Uh…uh…Helga?" she stammered with uncertainty, this was too much! It had to be a joke.

"_P_hoebe, _I_ _w_onder _w_hat _e_veryone _w_ill _t_hink," she openly her French accent smooth and soft spoke while smiling coyly. "_W_hen _t_hey _f_ind _o_ut _I_ _h_ave _r_eturned."

Phoebe was speechless…Helga…what had she become?


	2. Chapter One

A Continuation…

== Hey Arnold! ==

**WHERE IT ALL BEGAN**

By: Final Serenity.

Chapter One:

_Unprepared…_

* * *

Hillwood hadn't changed.

Helga Pataki had returned after five years of absence and didn't see a true change in the town, perhaps the population had gotten larger but thankfully it was still the same old fashioned city. She stood at her windowsill leaning and gazing out into the blue yonder of the sky and into the lively city, even her old neighborhood was buzzing with life. Children were outside playing in the streets with few cars to trouble the games; they seemed enamored with a stray cat and constantly yanking its tail.

Helga almost found herself yelling to the kids to leave it alone, but they'd learn soon enough not to mess with a stray.

Turning around she headed towards the closet, only to stop slightly when she heard the crying wails of the children outside, and one very loud 'stupid cat' comment. She giggled to herself and continued towards the large closet full of clothing.

Helga sighed.

Years have passed since she'd been in this place, this building she'd called home. Her eyes shifted here and there in the room that she'd spent most of her childhood in and noticed its small comforting warmth. It seemed eons ago that she'd constructed a shrine in the back of her closet, that her books of endless poetry were stacked hidden in floorboards and chests. The majority of her youth had been spent here, in this very room contemplating a million destinies that could happen between her…and a certain someone.

It seemed funny now that she had been so oblivious to the simple matters of a child and had always centered herself on something as adult as the emotion of 'love'.

Helga had seemingly skipped all of those fumbling first emotions that come with love and just settled happily in the idea of love and romance. To her Shakespeare had opened the doors to the intimate relationship between man and woman, she'd read so many poetry verses and books about romance that her entire imagination had nothing but romancing situations and happy endings. Ironically unknowing to her that it prepared her for future life and answered all the questions about what kind of relationship she wanted now.

"What to wear…" she hummed to herself as she pulled a white-tank top on and then a light-pink sweater that had a hoodie and a white French logo on the back.

Her jeans slipped on next, dark blue almost black with white stitching and embroidered back pockets, her cell phone finding its designated spot in her front pocket and her keys attached to a keychain swinging from her left back pocket. She combed quickly through her straightened hair as best she could with her fingers, and tied it loosely with a pink hair-tie.

Helga never thought to lose her signature color, she just added a new variety to it, different shades and sometimes only wearing it as an accessory but she always made sure to wear it as a reminder to why she needed a reminder…she didn't remember. Letting out a leisurely yawn she slipped into her socks and shoes and made her way down the long set of stairs. The house was dark until she flipped the light switches and illuminated the barren household.

The Pataki heiress sighed; while entering the kitchen and grabbing a quick packet of yogurt from the fringe and a small bottle of orange juice, for her breakfast.

Her eyes shifted around the small kitchen it had been remodeled and updated in the latest fashions with white and black speckled marble countertops and black kitchen appliances. The kitchen was untouched and unused, Helga wondered if she would manage to keep it as clean as it was now over the time she would use it. A passing thought but quickly replaced by the task that she was reminded by the yellow piece of paper stuck beneath her wallet.

"There's the list," she spoke out loud to comfort the silence; it was reassuring to hear something rather than nothing. "Groceries: milk, eggs…" she trailed off as she scanned the list.

It would take all day to get the stuff she needed.

Stuffing the list into her wallet and slipping that into her right back pocket, she decided against taking her purse it would only burden her more.

Turning she flipped the switches to bathe the home in darkness once again, she trotted out the door locking it in her wake and headed for the black jeep that sat a few feet away against the curb. The children were still playing the stray cat nowhere in sight but they unhappily sighed as she revved the engine to give them fair warning of her interference with their game.

----------------

"Good grief!" she groaned while throwing the last bag into the back of her jeep and leaning against its shining body.

The shopping had been worse than she'd thought, it had taken hours just to get around the store because apparently Saturday's were super savings day and about every single woman in town was at all the grocery stores nearby. She'd managed to get some of the none-food items without trouble but she prayed that this food would last at least a month not wanting to come face to face with that large woman in the bright orange jumpsuit again. Though with what little she had managed to get, it was doubtful it would last her even two weeks.

Her eyes drifted up into the blue sky and the great but chilly weather they were having, summer was ending and…school would start within a month or so.

"Hey Gerald did you hear about the competition?" a voice chimed through her thoughts, a very…_familiar_ voice.

Helga couldn't help her heart, as it thumped effortlessly against her chest, it beat with a quickened pace as her eyes came down from their sky-gazing. She calmly and slowly searched the parking lot of the grocery store, to look to the right where two young but impeccably tall teens were making their way towards the store. They were chatting happily but because her heart was beating so quickly it was all her ears could hear.

She wasn't prepared for this, not too see _him._

She'd thought about it profusely of course, and wondered exactly what she would do if ever coming into contact and right now she was blank, her mind…completely absent of thought.

He'd become so much taller.

His blonde straw hair that stood tall was gone and replaced with trimmed hair that hung around his face his cap still in place, his face that had all but kept its foot-ball shape though perhaps it was a little less wide. He was something of an enigma now, his long legs carrying him quickly across the black top. From where she stood, which wasn't more than a few enclosing feet, he'd become a tall and handsome man. His skin was a little darker probably from the sun and his features were more defined a strong chin and slim cheeks. Muscles graced his plain blue shirt, his hands in his pockets as he talked so casually. Helga didn't need to see him without clothing to know that he'd bulked and toned his body.

She blushed at the thought and turned her head but her eyes stayed on him.

_Arnold Shortman…_

"Phoebe said last night that she'd probably be busy for the next few days," Gerald who had been walking next to Arnold and completely ignored by her mind finally set in. "She said she was hanging out with an old friend but I can't figure who, since we're all still around."

Arnold nodded in agreement and shrugged. "Maybe she just didn't want to have you asking her out every five minutes."

"Oh you don't think that's what it really is do you!?" Gerald said with shock. "I mean I've been working on her for two years and she's really close to saying yes!"

"That's what you said a month ago but she's still not having you, maybe she's heard of all those rumors." Arnold stated with a quip, and punched him though he stopped for a moment, when his eyes inadvertently met another pair of blue.

Helga's heart stopped in a single repetition to find it now thumping so hard, they were like the pounding of drums very loud and very hearable. Arnold's pale blue eyes never blinked as he slowed in his step to a complete stop and just…stared.

Gerald had continued talking to find himself embarrassed as he finally noticed his friend a few feet back, he turned to find Arnold and a…beautiful girl having a staring match. He watched for a few more minutes before rolling his eyes and walking to his friend, giving him a swift nudge and coughing.

"Uh, huh, Hi." Arnold sputtered while pushing Gerald back, and walking up to the blonde girl.

She felt her eyes shift to his outstretched hand then back to his face, Helga knew, that he didn't recognize her…she knew that this was her fresh start.

Bringing up her hand to meet his, she smiled softly with as charming a smile as she could muster. "_B_onjour." _(bonjour/hello)_

He seemed unfazed by her accent, making her in turn a little nervous. "I'm Arnold, this is Gerald…you're new here?" he said in a guessing but obvious statement.

She nodded promptly and per habit flicked her hair behind her ear. "_I_'ve _j_ust _m_oved _h_ere, _f_rom _F_rance, _p_ardon the _a_ccent."

"Not at all, I think it's beautiful." He admitted without thought, then blushed lightly as the compliment concluded finally let go of her hand.

Gerald now deciding that being left out of the conversation was no fun, especially with a hot girl like this smiled handsomely and took her hand after Arnold had let go. "My name is Gerald, Gerald Johansson I'm the football Capitan at Hillwood Falls High School, I also play on the basketball team."

"_A_n _i_mpressive _r_esume, do you _a_lways _i_ntroduce _y_our _b_est _q_ualities _f_irst?" she asked pleasantly with a laugh as he blushed from her comment.

Helga was surprised by the easiness of speaking that was coming from her though her body wanted to collapse and her heart was in pain from over exertion she found herself…calm and collected. Those years abroad were paying off.

"We were about to head over to Gerald's field for a quick game of baseball, some of our friends are waiting…do you want to come?" Arnold asked politely while scratching the back of his neck.

Helga paused for a moment…that would mean seeing and meeting everyone, her eyes shifted to Gerald who made a 'you know you want to come' face while lifting his eyebrows and lowering them quickly. She wanted to say yes immediately but there was one large looming forbidding fact that the boys had not yet come in contact with.

They hadn't asked for her name.

"…_M_erci, for the _i_nvitation but _I_ _a_m _b_usy _m_oving _i_n and _g_etting _a_ll of my _s_tuff _s_ettled, or _e_lse _I_ _w_ould." She honestly answered while giving a nod and turning._ (Merci/thank you)_

It hurt at the same time it made her relieved, she was finally going to get out from under his presence and the shadow of long looming feelings that made her heart groan in turmoil. However…this didn't excuse the fact that in a matter of one month, he'd find out who she was anyways.

What would he say then?

Helga said her goodbyes and left them in the parking lot, Arnold staring at her vehicles form long after it was gone.

"Hey Arnold let's go the guys are waiting," Gerald said while patting his friends shoulder, he hadn't seen Arnold like this since…well since elementary school. "I'm sure we'll see her again she was hot so it's not like we'll miss her."

"Huh…oh yeah, hey did you, I don't know…get the feeling that, she…" Arnold folded his arms in thought. "She looked so _familiar._ I wonder if we've met…"

"Dude…seriously I think you'd remember an ass like hers." Gerald stated while rolling his eyes, why was his friend so naïve when it came to women.

"Yeah I guess…but still…I know I've seen her before…"

Arnold took one last glance, and let the feeling of familiarity fall, but there was still that nagging suspicion.

---------

Helga returned home and busied herself by putting away all of the things she'd bought and making new lists of things she'd forgotten and still needed.

The house was devoid of all life except for her, and she at this moment was glad of it.

A blush had planted itself on her cheeks and was refusing to remove itself and despite several attempts at splashing her face with cool water to drive it away the scarlet stain remained. Sitting down in the large recliner with a cola off to the side and several magazines on the coffee table, Helga closed her eyes and repeated very slowly the small and should have been inconsequential meeting between her and Arnold.

She had found it hard to believe…that after all these years…her heart still beat like crazy when just seeing him.

Helga had always figured Arnold would eventually grow up into some sort of…god-like handsome man that all the girls would fawn over and become the most popular guy and finally get the girl of his dreams. In this image of him she'd always pictured him beyond reach and that she'd finally have given up on her fantasies of them together…finally move on outside the reach of her unrequited love.

In one instant however.

She was completely and utterly sucked back in.

That feeling which had been lost in her years in France…or rather had hidden itself in the depths of her child's heart, easily broke the walls she'd constructed in order to try and move passed her own selfish desires. It attacked her relentlessly with the pounding of her heart against her chest, with the drumming of in audible things ringing in her ears. And lastly the sudden urge to clutch her chest and squat behind a dumpster to recite a very long monologue about the depths of her feelings…

Helga's eyes snapped open, as she gasped.

_No!_ She felt her mind halt with a screech in thoughts.

_Things…are different now…_She sighed, and rubbed her blush ridden cheeks, _well most everything._


	3. Chapter Two

A Continuation…

== Hey Arnold! ==

**WHERE IT ALL BEGAN**

By: Final Serenity.

Chapter Two:

_Old Tricks…_

* * *

"And lastly here's the football field one of the least important parts of the high school I personally think." Phoebe announced unhappily while waving her hand, like a show host.

"_I_'m _s_urprised _t_hat _y_ou're so _a_gainst it." Helga replied dully while leaning against the railing her accent was considerably less strong.

The outlook from the stadium was rather impressive for a high school, it seemed well built for a large number of spectators and the track that circled the inner-grass field seemed well maintained and very black. There were several clubs outside even though school didn't start for another month that are preparing for the yearly rituals and schedules for the upcoming year.

"Let's see, Sid and Harold are on the football team, Sid surprisingly runs really fast and catches well while Harold obviously makes a great linebacker." Phoebe drawled out facts as she pointed to each group.

"Rhonda, Nadine and Lila are all on the cheerleading squad; Lila's the Capitan and student body president. She was dating Larry Fen on the football team he's number thirty but they broke up after an incident no one knows about but there are rumors and Lila's out of town right now so no one can ask." Phoebe stated with a suspiciously curious sigh, it was the juiciest gossip that no one knew!

"Rhonda can't hold down a stable boyfriend and keeps dating guys for only two weeks almost like a ritual, though she does chase Arnold as much as she can. No one knows why after all what happened a few years ago." Though she gained an extremely intrigued look, Phoebe just shrugged off the comment like it was nothing.

"Nadine isn't dating and protests a lot about certain things like animal rights or sometimes even human rights, she and Sheena are really close now and spend a lot of their free time from clubs signing up for the next sit in."

Helga scoffed while yawning. "_I_'m _s_urprised _y_our _n_ose is in _e_veryone's _b_usiness."

Phoebe covered her mouth and giggled. "I'm also the editor and chief of the Hillwood Falls Gazette, everyone comes to me about their problems really but mostly I stick to real factual stories. Though I do admit Rhonda is one of my better sources, she knows more of every ones personal business than the person themselves."

"_W_hy, am _I_ not _s_hocked _t_hat _s_he's _s_till a _g_ossiping _f_ool." The Pataki heiress clicked her tongue and contemplated her thoughts on the little information she'd attained, though it wasn't really new.

"Stinky is the Capitan of the basketball team his height is a great advantage, and Eugene is in the drama class, Curly and Iggy are a part of the Geo-Maniacs with me, geometry club if you didn't get it from the name. Iggy and Rhonda did date for a while but because Rhonda wanted to go out to eat all the time and broke Iggy's wallet he dumped her. She said they broke up because of irreconcilable differences."

"_D_id _s_he _l_ook up _t_hose _b_ig _w_ords on the _i_nternet?" Helga questioned amused at the thought of Rhonda sitting at the computer with her large glasses, and trying to sound out the big words.

"Actually she had me look them up," Phoebe disclosed with a laugh. "I was so sure she'd have a break down with all the large words."

Helga laughed aloud while nudging her friend playfully in her arm. "_I_'m _k_ind of _g_lad _I_ _m_issed _a_ll the _d_rama." She said fondly, while resting her chin on her hands.

Phoebe opened her mouth to say something when her attention was grabbed by the hollering of a very loud running back, Gerald Johansson. Helga was a bit amused by the flustered face of her friend as the two football players came towards them, she also noted that Phoebe had strategically forgotten to mention them…probably trying to be considerate of her feelings.

"Hey Phoebe how's it going!" he breathlessly asked while stopping at the stadiums railing separating the field and the stands.

"Hi Gerald," she blushed slightly but managed to keep it under control, enough to acknowledge the second football player that had come along with Gerald, the team's quarterback. "Hi Arnold, how's practice?"

Pulling off their helmets, the boys were sweaty and Gerald had a large grin on his face elbowing Arnold as he indicated without discretion 'the hot chick from the other day'. Phoebe was a little surprised as she turned to get an answer from Helga, whose face had somewhat darkened. In almost an instant she understood, that they didn't know or realize who the hot chick really was.

"So this is who you were hanging out with all week I was really lonely ya know?" Gerald stated while pouting.

Phoebe scoffed, and waved her hand. "I'm sure you had plenty of company with all those girls that you hang out with."

"They're just friends how many times do I have to tell you that!" he said almost angrily while gripping his helmet.

"Until I'm satisfied that that's the truth!" she barked back unintentionally and shrunk as she realized her voice was fairly loud. "Let's go He-…"

"Wait!" Arnold intervened quickly while pushing Gerald, literally, aside. "He didn't mean to be so rude Pheebs you know that, he's just desperate."

"That is _not _helping Arnold!" Gerald said while shoving his friend and glaring. "I'm just saying that I can have friends that are girls without being involved with them!"

"You've dated almost half the student body Gerald; you're just as bad as Rhonda!" Phoebe retorted angrily while folding her arms.

Gerald felt the heat rise in his cheeks. "I did _not_ date half of the student body!"

"No just most of them!" Phoebe threw her hands up and turned on heel. "I'm going to the bathroom!"

With Phoebe gone Gerald used some pretty vulgar language and sulked back onto the football field leaving Arnold and the still unrevealed Helga. She glanced down at the blonde who was looking at his friends back with a mixed-feeling face; he turned to find her staring at him.

"Uh, that happens all the time." He explained though he didn't know why he'd felt the need too.

Helga shrugged with indifference and let out a shudder from the cold, her accent at its thickest now. "_P_eople _f_eel the _w_ay they _f_eel, no _p_oint in _j_udging _s_tuff _f_rom the _o_utside _w_hen_ I_ _d_on't _k_now _w_hat's _g_oing on, on the _i_nside."

Arnold's eyes widened with surprise, an insightful thought. "Yeah that's true!"

She laughed at his eagerness to agree and pulled up from the railing. "_W_ell _I_ _s_hould _g_o _c_heck on _P_hoebe."

"Wait!" he called after her as she was going down the steps, and jogged to meet her at the bottom. "I…uh…well you…"

"_Y_es?" she quirked an eyebrow in curiosity as she noticed the way his face had become contorted in confusion and his speech lost, she wondered why.

"You are…" he paused for a moment took a deep breath, and then smiled a straight smile. "I'm sorry I get confused around you. You see, you remind me of someone."

"_O_h is _t_hat so?" Helga's breath had nearly caught but she managed to respond calmly, on the outside anyways. "_I_ _h_ope it's…_n_othing but _f_ond _m_emories."

Arnold was a little taken back by the comment, but his sincere smile never faded. "Yeah they are."

Helga's eyes shifted if they were to stare any longer into his, she knew her face would give her away, the whole thing would be exposed and she wasn't prepared for it yet. She'd planned out exactly how she'd be reintroduced into Hillwood and that was only a month away, so she'd wait and see their reactions all at once. She smiled to him and excused herself.

Arnold could merely watch with a vague inkling of remembrance.

* * *

Phoebe was pacing the bathroom, her fingers were glued to her mouth as she would mumble this and that.

Helga didn't know what to say to comfort her friend who seemed troubled; a few words of comfort didn't seem like that was the right thing to repair the situation. From what she'd just saw there was some lingering feelings of guilt on both parties, and even more that Gerald might have just been a player enough to scare Phoebe out of dating him. Helga was positive that her Asian friend was at a crossroads that was truly painful, should she date him and risk the ultimate agony of being cheated on or never cave in and try to move on.

It was a lose, lose situation no matter how she looked at.

If Helga knew anything it was that, you can't help who you love no matter what.

And Phoebe had it bad.

"I don't want him to think that I think he's just a player!" Phoebe finally spoke aloud in a coherent sentence. "I'm so used to this though I'm not sure if I want it to change!"

Helga nodded when her shorter friend turned to her with big eyes, but still couldn't bring herself to comment on the small event that transpired. She didn't have experience in this sort of thing and no amount of consoling and love advice would help Phoebe with a decision, it was all up to her.

"I mean our friendship is so important…" she continued while ringing the bottom hem of her sweater. "But still I like him so much that I can't stand it sometimes! He's so sweet and funny and caring and does the nicest things and he's so cool but…but I can't,"

"_Y_ou _c_an't _s_ee _w_hy he'd _w_ant to be _w_ith you _r_ight?" Helga finally opted to interrupt when her dear friend seemed on the brink of tears, though the subject was something Helga had fought with nearly her entire childhood.

Phoebe nodded pathetically as tears strolled down her cheeks. "What if he gets bored with me because I'm not cute or funny like all those girls he hangs out with!? I couldn't bear being dumped by him I know I'd just…just…"

"_L_et's do _s_omething _f_un _o_ver the _m_onth." Helga stated pushing off from the stall she'd leaned against and walked to Phoebe, rubbing her shoulders. "_I_t _s_eems like _e_veryone's _b_usy with _c_lubs and _j_unk so let's _g_et _b_usy _o_urselves!"

Phoebe tilted her head and adjusted her glasses, with a curious expression. "What exactly did you have in mind?"

Helga grinned.

How come it was so easy to fall back into her scheming ways?


	4. Chapter Three

A Continuation…

== Hey Arnold! ==

**WHERE IT ALL BEGAN**

By: Final Serenity.

Chapter Three:

_If I win…_

* * *

It was so cruel; she'd thought she'd never resort to stalking again…

Helga sat back and sighed.

Was she really going to do this? Getting involved in other's problems wasn't her idea of starting over fresh, but somehow when it came to Phoebe she had a weak spot and her old habit was starting to come out. Interfering with everyone's business was something she'd thought she'd over come after she'd been gone so long and grown up a little. However somehow it'd come down to her once again sitting outside a large red-brick boarding house that was the home of none other than, Arnold Shortman.

The only thing that kept her from driving home and slamming her head into a wall for the mere fact she'd actually driven there, was the face that Phoebe had kept making the other night as they walked around town. Aimlessly for a few hours they just wondered the streets of Hillwood as Phoebe tried to calm herself and the sad pity that she'd become slumped in, as her love for Gerald grew uncontrollably. Helga wondered if because she saw what had captivated her own heart when she was younger, in Phoebe, that she'd had a sleepless night of thinking.

Though it hadn't been a completely fruitless night of mind-numbingly meddlesome ways she could interfere in the life of her best friend. It was risky to try and just get back into pulling strings of others.

Especially when she really, didn't want too.

Helga sighed while she leaned against the steering wheel, her coffee had grown cold and her toes were starting to sting with the bitter kiss of open-toed heels and chilly weather. She opted against turning on the car and the heater lest she get caught by the foot-ball playing…football head? That was a curious thing, she hadn't even thought of calling him by that name in years.

She wanted to giggle at the sudden remembrance of that time so long ago in elementary school when she'd tease him relentlessly with that special name. She wouldn't have ever imagined calling anyone else that name, regardless of the shape of their heads. It had been such a special nickname only for Arnold that she'd never have spoken of anyone else so favorably…so why didn't he notice…

Helga felt her eyes drifting shut as the melancholy of those yester years were flooding back into her mind, and the wonders of what could have been.

Thankfully she was jerked out of that revere when the door to the boarding house was slammed shut and a sport-jersey clad Arnold started stretching probably for some sort of morning exercise. Helga could feel a blush creeping up her cheeks as she had a front row view to the muscle bound teen as he twisted this way and that to stretch his abdominal muscles. He'd really become such a toned and well managed body that Helga found it hard to imagine him still single, but the subject had never come up between her and Phoebe so she'd only have to assume for the time being.

Arnold finished with his stretches and rubbed his right shoulder before starting his jog across the street, turning the right corner and going down baker's street.

Helga sighed; she still couldn't believe she was going to do something so meddlesome…

Revving the engine she toggled her foot-peddle and as best she could follow behind the jogging football player. She tailed him for a few blocks turning this way and that when she realized that he wasn't jogging for fun, nor was he jogging a routine area.

He was going somewhere specific.

Gerald's field to be exact.

Helga had all but slapped herself as she shifted the gear into park and stared blankly at the large field, which no longer was just a square plot between buildings.

They'd torn down the old warehouses that had once surrounded Gerald's Field, grass now replaced the buildings and fences lined the sidewalks. It had bleachers lining the insides and dugouts that were stationed in their proper places for both teams. Large billboards surrounded the area with overhead lights and scoreboards that flashed numbers and local business advertisements.

Gerald's field had become an actual league field, in its entire glory what seemed now to be the premiere spots for all the local baseball and softball leagues to practice or use for legitimate games. On the large entrance way where there was a gap between the fences, a large white metallic sign with red letters stated, it was reserved. Grabbing her sunglasses and putting them on, she checked her lips to see if the shine was still sparkling and adjusted her bra to make sure her 'assets' were as perky as they could get.

If this plan was going to work, she would have to use a few old tricks…and some new.

Taking a deep breath she opened her jeep door, stepping out cautiously and slamming the door shut, many cars were coming as she dashed to the sidewalk across the street. She needed to make sure that it looked like there was a reason she'd be wandering around here, thank goodness for the florist that hadn't closed on a Sunday as she walked towards the shop that was across the fencing way. Helga knew that despite being directly across from the dugouts she would be noticed, if not by Arnold than by one of the other players that were getting ready for their game.

Helga smiled and thoughtfully wondered if she should become a fortune teller, as cat-calls and whistles of the flirtatious kind started flooding her way.

Not long after that, the sounds of heavy feet pounding in her direction.

"Hey!" Gerald huffed out while waving and leaning against the fence and smiling a pearly white smile.

The basketball player turned baseball player for the day was sporting the same jersey that Arnold had on before, a white and red top with cut off sleeves and a number on the back with an irrelevant last name. He had on long sports shorts that were bright red and very flashy to the eye, Helga wondered if this was a poor idea and poor choice on Phoebe's part for an ideal guy. Gerald seemed to have become rather…materialistic.

Helga took a deep breath, her plan started now. "_H_ello _a_gain, _G_erald." She honey coated her accent to seem even more…sexy.

He chuckled while waving back to the field where the others of their group was waiting, hollering things that were barely audible to her but she could imagine the gist of it.

"It's like fate we keep meeting up here you know I know this great little Italian place off the corner of Sorenson and third!" he stated proudly while flicking his jersey.

Helga almost, _almost_ went livid at his lack of subtly as well as obvious shameless flirting and laying it on extra thick now that Phoebe wasn't around. The blonde nearly punched him in the face and stormed off cutting the plan in half and not bothering, all of the years of patience and practice that she'd endured almost coming to a quick and bitter end…

"_N_o _t_hank you _I a_ppreciate _y_our _o_ffer but _I_ _d_on't _t_hink _y_ou're my _t_ype." She stated as tactfully as she could without wanting to hurt his pride or waste her opportunity to get Phoebe her dream guy.

Gerald flicked his hand around dismissively. "That's expected after all you and Arnold hit it off first anyways and he's totally interested in you!"

"_H_e…_i_s?" she immediately responded though caught herself from asking more, that was not the reason she was here, even though her neck was suddenly feeling hot…

"Oh yeah big time he keeps talking about you and like being all weird and stuff," he detailed while folding his arms and leaning on the fence lifting his eyebrows. "Should I hook you two up so you can have a little…one on one time?"

Helga blushed at the thought but quickly shook her head even though her heart thumped against her chest rapidly in retaliation from her quick rejection she bit her lip and nervously laughed. She'd lost her pace and objective in this whole escapade! Though the idea allured her it also brought bitter sweet feelings of long lost love and what would happen when he found out just who she was, Helga wasn't ready for them to know yet and keeping that secret was the most important.

"_S_-so _y_ou _l_ook like _y_ou're _h_aving _l_ots of _f_un _t_oday," she quickly changed the subject and silently counted numbers to keep her mind from getting lost in personal thoughts. "_Y_ou're _p_laying _w_ith _y_our _f_riends _n_o?"

Gerald snickered while thumbing his nose. "I may look like I'm all show and no game but I've got some skills that'll make you weak in the knees."

"_I_s _t_hat _s_o?" she was uninterested at his boast but suddenly gained a mindful idea that perhaps could make this little endeavor much easier. "_S_ay, _w_ould _y_ou _m_ind if _I_ _c_ame to _l_ook _a_round _y_our _f_ield?"

"Are you sure that's fine?" he asked while looking around, maybe looking for Phoebe but quickly turned his attention to the guys behind him. "I mean it's not like they are the best bunch of guys to bring a hot girl around."

Helga genuinely smiled and flicked hair behind her ear, her accent softening only a little. "_I_'m _n_ot in the _l_east _b_it _i_ntimidated."

The dark-skinned athlete laughed and nodded his head, and then in a grand gesture that a lower-class civilian would make to a queen he bowed and held his arm out. Helga of course thought it to be for show to the other boys who were now getting even more riled up at their approach and a bit for his ego. She wondered if over the years Gerald had learned to hide his insecurities by being flamboyant instead of suave and flirtatious instead of genuine. Helga wondered that if her interference would break the friendship because it seemed despite his feelings Gerald was hiding behind an untrustworthy mask…and Phoebe was the only one who saw it.

"Dude she's a fox!" a droopy nosed backwards cap wearing shortest guy in the group stated happily with an approving thumbs-up.

If she'd not lived here for ten years of her life previously to now and had met this group of juvenile group of guys, she might've fallen for their smiles and fairly good looks.

Sid who had easily addressed her first was the most noticeable because of height and his nose, unique in both fashions and wearing a bright pink cap made him stand out. Next was the bulkiest of the group standing farthest to the left, who Helga could only imagine to be Harold. The once large chubby young elementary kid was gone and replaced with a muscle-bound big armed what could only be described as 'obvious' football player, he was also decent looking in the face now his features having turned more square and fit to his head.

Stinky was still tall and beak-nosed though his pencil figure was now filled with lean muscles that made him seem not as anorexic, and Curly was sporting a Mohawk with bright green tips and neon rimmed shades. Though each of them were all wearing either red or pink they had grown up as expected into young men that could if wanted too, get dates.

The rest of the group of guys was average and people she didn't even know, so she didn't dwell on them, thank goodness for knowing the others before hand too.

The entire time she'd been looking them over, Gerald had been introducing them.

"And lastly that's Iggy, you can always tell who he is because of the 'I' shaved into the back of his head, for good luck!" Gerald stated proudly as the other boys laughed, and Iggy in question blushed with embarrassment.

Helga greeted them all politely. Though noticed Arnold among the masses staying in the back blatantly avoiding her all together, she wondered for a moment if she'd done something to turn him off.

Gerald hung his arm around her shoulders. "So you see guys this is how it is, I mean she's not interested in sports and stuff. Girls like this are good for being arm candy you know?"

For a minute his words didn't register in her mind, Helga had almost thought she'd imagined the sexist words that he'd uttered from his lips but when the laughter and agreement from the other boys worked into her ears, she frowned.

"_O_h is _t_hat _w_hat you _t_hink?" she smiled coyly while lifting her glasses to the top of her head, flashing a devilish smile as she picked up a nearby bat. "_I_f you _t_hink so is it _s_afe to _s_ay that _w_e _c_ould _m_ake a _b_et, _o_ui?" _(oui/yes)_

The laughter died down except for Gerald who kept snickering. "You better put that down before you hurt yourself darling!"

Helga gripped the bat tightly, no wonder why Phoebe had reservations…he was being a total jerk! "_I_ _t_hink it _w_ould be _v_ery _f_un of _y_ou to _m_ake a _w_ager _w_ith me _G_erald, _u_nless _y_ou're _s_cared _t_oo?"

"Ha ha! She called you scared!" Harold boomed while slapping his stomach.

Sid snickered and folded his arms. "I can't believe that she's so feisty, I like it I wish she'd play baseball with my ba-ouch! Hey Arnold what did ya do that for!?"

"I think it's mighty nice of her to come from a different country and want to play American sports and such." Stinky remarked while blushing from his own compliment, to someone else.

Helga simply smiled, _like a moth to the flame…_ "_W_hat _d_o _y_ou _s_ay?"

Gerald let out a bored sigh and waved his hand to act as if their comments didn't bother him. "Alright let's hear this little wager!"

"_I_f _y_ou _s_trike _m_e _o_ut, _I_'ll _d_o _w_hatever _y_ou _w_ant _m_e to _d_o." She stated bluntly as their jaws dropped and she merely looked the bat over. "_I_f _I g_et a _h_ome run _b_efore you _s_trike me _o_ut, _t_hen _y_ou _h_ave to do _w_hatever _I_ tell _y_ou to do, _t_hat is _f_air no?"

The group was quiet, until they erupted in hoots and hollers Gerald thought he hit the jackpot but Arnold was at a loss of what to say, he was surprised when he finally looked at her to see her smile so easily.

Somehow this situation…seemed eerily similar….

Gerald was speechless he hadn't even gotten a chance to strike her out.

She'd hit a home run on the first pitch.


	5. Chapter Four

A Continuation…

== Hey Arnold! ==

**WHERE IT ALL BEGAN**

By: Final Serenity.

Chapter Four:

_One Day at a Time._

* * *

Helga brushed aside the hair that stuck to her neck.

It was Thursday afternoon just passed lunch time and Helga Pataki was lost in her thoughts at the city park. Sitting on a bench just off the cobblestone path beneath a large cedar tree she was happily licking a blue-raspberry flavored Popsicle. Early in the morning she'd found the heat too irresistible to waste it by staying indoors not wanting to waste a perfectly perfect summer day. She'd started the morning off by doing a little home shopping at a furniture store on State Street and lunch at Marlin's Diner in the community district.

After returning home and putting away the items she'd purchased, she had heard the chiming tune of the Jollie Ollie man.

Unable to resist the temptation she locked up the house and dashed down the street after him. Three children in front of her and four blocks later she'd come to rest at Fairview Park renamed and cleaned up to beautiful standards she was contently being idle.

The few days that had passed between her meeting with Gerald and the fruitful bet that she'd spontaneously came up with in the heat of the moment, had gone by without much to do. Her plan had gone according to schedule and on Saturday she would be initiating the second phase, in hopes that it wouldn't be in vain. This little scheme she had plotted in the wee hours of the morning a few days ago was not without many flaws, considering the fact that she didn't know Gerald very well. She could easily guess his reactions but really she had to base her whole plan off of sheer luck and a little wit.

Phoebe as well as Gerald had to play their parts in it and she wanted to mess with them as little as possible in respects to sending false love notes or a bogus bouquet of flowers.

Helga knew by experience that it was too dangerous to directly pretend or make any insincere gesture that the real person knew nothing of; all that came from that was suspicion and ultimate discovery of the plot. So as a result in order to keep from having to involve them directly she was playing the card of setting the scene and hoping the actors wouldn't fail on stage. Phoebe was tearing herself apart with indecision and sadness while Gerald was stuck between continuing his pursuit of the Asian girl or to give up and easily find a ready and willing girlfriend.

Helga's personal feelings on their relationship or lack thereof were irrelevant…but she did feel compassion for Phoebe's wavering feelings. The mistrust and foreshadowing heartbreak that could occur should she enter into an intimate relationship with Gerald were great, and with such a fragile heart Phoebe's insecurities were vast and hanging over her. It seemed that neither of them would budge but keep playing this quarrelling game until one gets fed up enough to just be done with it.

If there was one thing that Helga had come to learn in her life, it was to never leave behind regrets.

Therefore, after all that thought the Pataki heiress had made up her mind to try her hand at bringing the two together…or be the reason that they fall spectacularly apart.

She was willing to face those consequences should they arrive.

"Funny meeting you here." His voice echoed in her ears…what odd timing.

Helga had closed her eyes and let her head fall back to bask in the rays of the sun, her eyes shielded by the dark shades that were black-rimmed and had sparkling fake jewels designed on the sides. She took a moment to steady her mind before she pulled her head downwards to meet Arnold's face as he stood a few feet away with a blue raspberry Popsicle in his hand. He chuckled a little while indicating that they had the same frozen treat and came to sit next to her.

Helga…felt her heart jump from her chest to her throat.

In all this time of contemplation she'd completely forgot about Arnold and the odd acquaintance between them. She found herself unable to respond to his chatter about this and that, just listening to him was getting her body fired up and the sound of her heart beating faster and faster.

It had never changed. This feeling within the depths of her heart, the thundering pounces making it abundantly clear that no matter the years behind them, and no matter the distance. She would always…always love him. Helga had imagined facing him so many times, had imagined the kind of conversations she would have with him and the things that she would do to reassure herself that her feelings had changed. But as she sat here on this park bench, inconspicuously away from the world with him beside her…she knew that she'd been inevitably beaten against impossible odds.

"Anyways Gerald's freaking out about Saturday," Arnold had noticed the distant look in her face and eyes, so he changed the subject from the weather to a topic a little more interesting. "He says that he was tricked, and you must be some French baseball prodigy."

Helga blushed at the stupid statement; Gerald would be dumb enough to believe something like that. "_I _am _n_o _p_rodigy _I_ used to _p_lay a _l_ot _w_hen _I_ was _y_ounger."

"We did too, Gerald's field didn't always look like that you know." He commented while finishing up his Popsicle and examining the stick.

"_Y_ou _d_on't _s_ay?" she retorted with lack of a better response.

It was hard to feel so insecure and yet somehow calm, it was easy to be in his presence because Arnold gave no pressure one of the few things Helga loved about him. Which was strange after all they'd grown up physically over the five years of her absence and while Arnold was considerably different…somehow she felt like she was sitting next to that elementary boy she'd fallen in love with. Then again she did take into account that five years is long but not long enough for someone to completely overhaul their personality…but Arnold was mature now and seemed more sensible.

Still, he was the same kind Arnold…

"You really surprised me." He opted to keep the conversation up, seeing as she had little to say in the moment. "I was surprised that you would make a bet like that, you didn't seem the type of girl to be so…mischievous."

That made Helga grin, _if only you knew Arnold if only you knew…_ "_I_ _f_ind _l_ife to be _b_oring _w_ithout a little _e_xcitement _e_very _n_ow and _a_gain…_t_hough _I_ _w_ill _s_ay _I_ _m_ake _s_ure _n_ever to _p_lace a _b_et _t_hat _I_ _c_an't _w_in."

Arnold smirked at her coy reply. "Obviously, so what are you plans for the day?"

"_O_h _t_his and _t_hat but _I_ _d_ecided _t_oday _w_as too _f_ine a _d_ay to _s_tay _i_ndoors, _n_o? I _w_anted to _e_njoy the _f_leeting _s_ummer _h_eat." She remarked while finishing her own Popsicle and reading the joke on the stick, giggling at its stupidity.

"So you're free then?" he questioned while standing up and offering his hand for her Popsicle stick, as a waste bin was close by.

"_I_ _m_ight _b_e…qu`est-ce qui`il y a?" Helga had unintentionally questioned in French, though she quirked an eyebrow when he smiled brightly and let out a throat clearing cough. _(qu`est-ce qui`il y a/what do you want)_

Arnold returned quickly after having thrown away their trash and folded his arms, he had been prepared with what little French he could remember, beamed at being able to understand what she said. "There's a small antiques shop on Cove Street, Ms. Penny's Priceless Pearls, and I thought we'd go check it out."

Helga was a little surprised by his offer. Firstly because she loved antiques and Ms. Penny's shop was the only one in town but she hadn't found the time to go and mull around. Arnold seemed so nonchalant about it and since there wasn't anything more pressing to do, Helga nodded and followed along as he started to walk down the path.

"By the way," Arnold had stopped walking and turned towards her. "I can't believe how rude I've been about this but…Tu t'appelles comment?" he chuckled and knocked his head as a sign of being a complete airhead. _(Tu t'appelles comment/what's your name)_

Helga had been prepared for this question since the day after she'd first met him, though she hadn't expected Arnold to make such an effort, he had studied French she recalled in elementary though hadn't imagined he'd kept it up. "Je m'appelle Gabriella." _(je m'appelle/I am called/I call myself)_

Arnold had merely nodded when she told him her name a reaction that she had really expected. His eyes had shifted ever slightly and his mouth had tensed. Did he know that she was lying? Or…was he expecting something else?

---------

It's amazing how much time can pass by when you're in a place that keeps your interest for more than five minutes. Ms. Penny's antique shop was full of wonders that Helga could barely keep back her excitement the minute they entered the shop. She'd darted around here and there picking up old china plates and doilies to hand stitched quilts and copper tea kettles. She found herself piling up old glass figurines into a bag that the store clerk graciously offered when her arms were becoming too full to carry more.

Arnold on the other hand had come here with a purpose, to pick up a replacement ornamental candlestick set that his grandmother had ordered a few months back.

They were copper with designs of swirls and stars…extremely tacky but just the kind of thing his grandma loved to have. When they finished purchasing their items they were inclined to visit the shop that was right next door, which happened to be a book store. Arnold found his enthusiasm when he came across a series that was just released, he'd been reading about it for months and he just couldn't resist buying a set of the first three. Helga on the other hand bought several magazines and a large six hundred page cook book, needless to say when they exited the store they had armfuls of stuff and no transportation.

"_P_hoebe _s_aid _s_he'll be _h_ere in a _f_ew _m_inutes." She spoke up while tucking her phone back in denim-shorts, she would have driven herself if she had known how much she would buy but instead they had walked.

"Same for Gerald," Arnold laughed while sitting on the curb and checking over the bags. "What a day!"

Helga slumped beside him and let out a sigh of relief. "_O_ui, _b_ut it was _c_ompletely _w_orth it." _(oui/yes)_

"Agreed." He smiled while leaning back and glancing to her bag from the antique shop. "So you like glass figurines?"

Tucking a strand of hair behind her ear she nodded. "_I_ _s_tarted _c_ollecting _t_hem a _f_ew _y_ears _a_go in _P_aris _w_hen _I c_ame _a_cross a _g_lass _r_ose, in it _t_here _w_ere _m_icroscopic _b_eads _t_hat _m_ade up the _s_hades of the _p_etals, and _s_tem the colors too. _I_ _w_as stuck on _t_hem _s_ince _t_hen."

"Let's see the ones you've got," he motioned while sitting up straighter. "I'm curious now!"

Helga laughed while taking from the bag, one of the glass figurines. "_T_his _o_ne is my _f_avorite," she gently un-wrapped it and revealed a beautiful butterfly with golden flecked edges and sparkling wings. "_Yet here it is so frail and small a butterfly's fragile wings, the delicate lace that lifts its flight could there be but finer things? I seek not answers from the wind that lifts this little butter but from the scent that calls it here, the flower that makes it flutter_."

Arnold wasn't sure if he was supposed to clap, or be in awe which he found himself dumbstruck regardless. A thousand things swirled in his mind, a forgotten dream surfacing about a moon and someone from a different time or perhaps in was the French accent that made him think of valentines. He felt himself enamored as he watched her face so delicately change in smiles…she was beautiful…so very beautiful.

"You really like butterflies." He stated while smiling, when she blushed a little.

"_Y_es, _I_ _d_o."


	6. Chapter Five

A Continuation…

== Hey Arnold! ==

**WHERE IT ALL BEGAN**

By: Final Serenity.

Chapter Five:

_Feelings that Last a Lifetime._

* * *

State Street in Hillwood was the heart of the town.

The hustle and bustle of all the people coming to and fro, going this way and that they were in no short supply when it came to this great commercial area. From your seasonal vegetables or foreign fruit, to your expensive electronic habits to general goods if you needed it State Street had it. People were walking along the wide sidewalk and examining the display windows, children had their toys cradled in their arms or the dogs would be barking at every passerby.

Helga couldn't help but feel a bit warm at the subtle town and its simplistic nature.

The bustle of this city wasn't like that of a major metropolis where everyone was rushing to get from one point to the next. They weren't making deals or trading stocks while sirens of all different kinds were going off. It was a relaxed home-town setting where people were neighbors with everyone and you greeted the person passing you if you had known them or not. Helga admired that fact about Hillwood; she had really missed this town.

Saturday morning had arrived all too soon after her encounter with Arnold at the park, everything set aside for today Helga was currently waiting for everyone to arrive.

Hopefully her plan would succeed though it had a high-chance of failing.

Since she had time, she'd decided to recap the situation and see if there was anything she'd over looked. First of all she'd convinced Phoebe, though it was a process in itself, to take up dance classes before the summer ends as a way to distract herself from her problems aka Gerald. Secondly what Phoebe did not know, was that Helga had stalked Arnold to the location of Gerald, because he'd already left for the game that morning and well it was easier to follow Arnold anyways, to find him. When she got to Gerald's field she made a bet with him and won, successfully ordering him to attend this dance class as per her win of getting to do whatever she wanted with him.

It was a bold endeavor but she'd done the best she could in securing its success…now all of it remained on Gerald's and Phoebe's shoulders whether it would triumph or fail.

Letting out an exhausted sigh, she leaned against the building that was to be their dance lessons home, she'd found them also on the internet.

"Ah Helga I'm sorry I'm late!" out of the two, Phoebe thankfully arrived first panting heavily as she slowed to a stop next to her friend. "I couldn't decide what to wear and I did some researching on what to wear to a ballroom dancing class but I," Phoebe blushed nervously. "I don't think I even own anything like what they wear so I hope I look okay…"

Now you must understand that Phoebe had almost all but grown out of her shyness and accepted herself as a nerdy girl with little prospects of dating good looking guys. Now that Helga was here Phoebe started to consider her appearance with a little more regard. As the Pataki heiress dressed in very appealing and attractive clothing as well as being gorgeous to boot. Phoebe was understandably very aware now of the way she was dressed. Helga was wearing something she'd never dream of even try on in the privacy of her home! It was a white sleeveless dress that went all the way to her knee but had a slit up the side, with only a light-colored pink ribbon around her waist.

Helga seemed these days to take very good care of her appearance, her legs were shaven her skin was tanned and her eyes were shadowed with a soft pink hue and thin black liner. Her eyelashes were long and her fingernails manicured, even her toes that were in strapped pink peep-toe heels had a pedicure with a white tip.

The new Helga was nothing short of breathtaking thus Phoebe's anxiety…she wanted to stand next to Helga only it was hard to stomach.

"It's quite alright," Helga stated leaving off her accent as she did. "I wasn't waiting long."

The Asian was shocked, Helga once having a thick almost impossibly French accent was…American once more. This short display revealed why the Pataki heiress kept from speaking normally…Phoebe had in an instant almost recognized her friends voice from when they were kids though maybe a little smoother.

"I can't believe you can just turn it on and off like that." She commented finally after blushing and looking away, she'd stared for too long…

Helga flicked hair behind her ear a noticeable action, and smiled. "It wasn't like I didn't use English in France I just preferred to use the native language as much as possible."

Phoebe giggled before snapping her finger in sudden realization. "Oh! What happened exactly with you and Arnold yesterday you didn't say anything on the drive home!"

In an instant like a kid again Helga's face turned pink to the maximum, she'd blushed so quickly that Phoebe had nearly tripped on herself, Helga Pataki was flustered! Of course the Asian had wondered if the blonde girl having been gone for so long still harbored feelings for their elementary school peer and it looked to be that she did! Poor Helga having to endure all of these encounters and play the fool, pretending all along that she didn't know him or that they had just met…when in reality she'd loved him, for what seems like a lifetime.

On the subject of Helga's feelings for Arnold, Phoebe had remained a silent observer, preferring not to interfere or even speculate the outcome of their relationship.

But she had dearly wished…that a miracle would have happened.

"I am just surprised about it as you are," Helga finally relented to speak as she leaned heavily against the building they were standing next too. "He just sprung up at the park, and then asked me to go to the antiques place obviously I couldn't refuse…but lord I thought he'd hear my heart beating as loudly as it was."

That made Phoebe smile, Helga had seemed very resilient to put up any sort of emotion on her new face the pretty and cool beauty. She'd come here determined with an objective in mind, of what that objective was, Phoebe hadn't a clue. Was it about Arnold and those unresolved feelings or was it something on a larger scale, like repenting for her bullying ways. Honestly Phoebe couldn't make a guess and she didn't particularly want too, for what it was worth no matter what Helga acted or was like, she'd still be her best friend.

"It would be silly of me to ask the obvious then wouldn't it?" Phoebe replied while quirking her eyebrow and smiling coyly.

Helga blushed at the statement and nodded in confirmation. "I'd thought that even with the years apart…my feelings would have lessened just a tiny bit…but when he was so close I could feel it," she hummed while closing her eyes and putting her hand over her chest. "That heart-racing fist clenching fly out of your seat and into the heavens, singing in an angel choir…painful _love_ that I had still deep inside of me."

"Oh Helga…" Phoebe didn't know what to say; with her own troubles in love and little knowledge about it she couldn't be but helpless on the matter.

The Pataki heiress sighed while shaking her head. "It was incredible! I was so calm and acted normally through the whole thing, but when I got home…I felt like I'd been drained of everything. My knees buckled, my heart exploded and I felt as if I'd been set on fire with all the pricking of my hairs that stood on end."

Phoebe listened quietly, Helga…at least the old Helga wasn't one to talk like this openly, and the Asian girl didn't want to interrupt save she miss out on this chance to hear what was in Helga's head.

"All this time, I'd thought. Hey it's possible not to love him," she smiled briefly while scratching her arm. "In France I felt like the world had opened up to me, had given me a world beyond that little hovel of a life in Hillwood, and I thought I'd been freed. But, I was mistaken I know that now." She stated while letting out a defeated breath. "I was completely and utterly beaten, my rational thinking and all the years patiently building up tolerance…was thoroughly decimated by my eternally cruel love for him."

The Asian teen didn't know whether to feel sad about that fact, or overjoyed that Helga despite having changed so much…was still every bit the same as she'd left.

"I'm sorry Helga," Phoebe consoled as best she could with what little comfort her words would offer. "I know it doesn't help but I think that this time around things will be different, or could be if you wanted them too."

Helga, whose face had adorned a look of distant sorrow, smiled and placed a gentle hand on her friends shoulder. It was a gesture of good faith but not complete trust in that bitter encouragement. Phoebe didn't know whether to take that as Helga's defeat in even trying to be with Arnold again, this time in different terms or if she'd given up everything involving that relationship. There are so many unanswered questions and more keep flowing in with each thing that Helga does or says, Phoebe for someone who could once instantly know what her best friend was thinking…was lost in her facial expressions and vague explanations.

"Thank you Phoebe, but I think that," Helga didn't get to finish her sentence when a gruff sound came from behind them.

Gerald, accompanied by Arnold an unexpected companion, was horrified and pointing his figure at Phoebe and Phoebe in return was gapping at the mouth shooting furious glances to Helga whom smiled pathetically and shrugged.

"What's Phoebe doing here!?" he barked while coming closer, Gerald was beyond enraged as he blushed and dropped his finger.

"I should ask the same thing!" Phoebe piped up loudly while folding her arms and if looks could kill, Helga would've died a thousand times over.

Helga or _Gabriella_ as Gerald and Arnold now know her adopted the new expression of immense happiness, and glee with her French accent heavily in tow she spoke up. "_I_ _h_ope _y_ou do _n_ot _m_ind, _I t_hought it _w_ould be so _m_uch _m_ore _f_un _f_or us to _h_ave a _s_mall _g_roup!"

Phoebe was livid; Helga had planned this from the beginning and didn't bother to even let her know! "I don't think that is a good idea, they should just leave!"

"Why should we leave? Why don't you!?" Gerald instead of directing the fuming anger he harbored at the one deserving of it, it went to the young Asian who seemed eager to have him gone.

Arnold didn't know what Gerald was angrier about, the fact that Gabriella had tricked him into coming here and humiliating him in the process or about Phoebe making it clear she didn't want him around. Either way it didn't seem that this got off to a good start, not that Arnold wanted to be here in the first place, his loyalty in friendship to Gerald went above the call in circumstances like these. Mind you getting another chance so soon to see Gabriella was a nice perk but having his masculinity challenged publicly was a little too much for even him to swallow.

There was a limit, and ballroom dancing was bordering on it for Arnold.

"_E_xcuse _m_e!" Gabriella intervened when Phoebe flipped her middle finger at Gerald, and he went red in the face his mouth opening wide, surely nothing good would have come from it.

Phoebe couldn't bare the scrutiny under Gerald's gaze and turned to leave, when the blonde forcibly grabbed her. "Let me go there is no way I'm going to dance with that fat faced jerk!"

"Who would want to dance with you anyways you four-eyed munchkin!" Gerald bellowed back while making a move to leave, when Gabriella stopped him by grabbing his shirt.

"_B_oth of _y_ou _s_hut _u_p!" she shouted above their rants about dumb Gerald this, and short-sighted Phoebe that.

Arnold was surprised at the commanding presence that Gabriella gave as she shoved the pair to the left of them towards the door and made a motion for them to be quiet. Letting out a breath she rubbed her temples for a moment before putting her hands on her hips.

_Is this the kind of thing Arnold dealt with all the time when we were kids, who would have the patience for this sort of thing!?_ "_N_ow _t_hat _I _have _y_our _a_ttention _l_et _m_e _m_ake it _c_lear, _b_oth of _y_ou are _a_ttending _t_his _c_lass, it's _a_lready _p_aid _f_or."

"But," they said in unison only to be silenced by Gabriella's hand coming up to stop them.

"_M_arch!" she ordered while pointing towards the glass door and ushering the two of them, albeit their continuous objections, inside.

"That was impressive," Arnold finally spoke up when the two of them disappeared and Gabriella let out a breath of relief. "I have to say your plan is working perfectly."

She winced at his chiding tone, he must've easily figured out what she was up too… "_W_ell _s_omething _h_ad to _b_e _d_one."

"I agree," he stated promptly while opening the door for her, following inside. "Those two have been like that for two years, it's about time they settled it once and for all."

Helga flushed a bit but managed a simple smile. "_Y_ou _d_on't _t_hink _I_'m _t_oo _m_eddlesome?"

"Nah," he remarked while following her down the hall as per the instructions of the signs on the walls. "You have the guts to do something that nobody else has so far, even I decided to stay out of it."

That perturbed her just a little, Arnold was probably the closest confident that the two of them had, obviously Helga was excluded from her time abroad. The relationship between Phoebe and Gerald had become like this long before Helga had even returned home, it was completely open about the bitterness between both of them and also the uncontrollable feelings of love and adoration. Having stayed out of it, he must feel some sort of responsibility right? He saw it coming didn't he? He had to have.

Why didn't he do something about it?

"_W_ell it's _a_ll up to _t_hem _n_ow," she commented when they reached the door that led into the class. "…_b_ut _I_ do _h_ope it _e_nds _w_ell." She added faintly.

Arnold smiled softly and opened the door, whispering. "I'm sure it will."


	7. Chapter Six

A Continuation…

== Hey Arnold! ==

**WHERE IT ALL BEGAN**

By: Final Serenity.

Chapter Six:

_A Little bit of Heat._

* * *

"Bienvenue class!" a man announced while jumping out from behind a large maroon curtain that was attached to a cart, most likely his costume changing area…why he needed one for a class is a mystery.

The man was a thin framed fellow with an equally thin framed mustache that was trimmed to just above his upper lip, almost like someone had drawn it on with a black marker. His eyes were also lined with black and his cheeks powdered with rosy blush matching the color of his leotard and pants, a very bright colored rose with a black belt. His hair was short and oily but not to be mistaken by dirty but very glossy and stuck to his head in curls…a man very comfortable with himself you could say.

"For all you simpletons that don't know the motherlands native language," he stated this time his accent though not completely overbearing shining through as French, waved his hand dramatically and bowed. "Bienvenue mean's welcome! And I do so welcome you all to my lovely and most wonderful class of the art of ballroom dancing!"

In order to prevent himself from being thoroughly made sick, Gerald had covered his eyes to shield his young fragile mind from the skinny tights wearing man, and gagged. Phoebe also had little stomach for the man's antics as he pranced around unattractively and puckered his lips, saying how sweet and adorable everyone looked…including the men, who were few in numbers.

"Ah! And what is this!?" he squeaked in a high-pitched voice, pointing towards the door. "How dare you two come late to my fantasmic class!"

Arnold was horrified by the man and completely thrown off guard, stumbling a little as he shut the door, his only means of escape! This is what he meant by getting his masculinity challenged…

"_F_orgive _u_s, it is _m_y _f_ault!" Gabriella quickly spoke up, as she noticed Arnold's paling face. "_I_ _h_ad _n_ot _i_ntended to _a_rrive _s_o,"

"Halt! You're words…doth my ears deceive me!?" he frantically came up to her and grabbed her hands, examining them and then checking her over. "You've got the smell of the motherland on you!"

Gabriella aka Helga nearly busted out laughing by the man's antics as he started to prance around the studio, gleefully mumbling to himself about receiving word from the motherland and if he was finally going to get to return. Arnold, unable to keep his wits about him snuck over to Gerald, whom was also getting nauseous from watching the insanely feminine man, and pinched him as hard as he could. A consolation prize Arnold received for being dragged to this kind of place. Gerald was profusely apologizing when, much to everyone's surprise, Gabriella walked on to the dance floor.

"_S_hall _w_e?" she questioned while holding up her right hand and arching her left arm, in a position well suited for dance.

The teacher went a little wide eyed before critically narrowing his eyes and walking to her, while swaying his hips. "…Habanera?"

"Oui!" she confirmed, keeping her stance. _(oui/yes)_

The man clapped happily while pulling from who knows where a remote, flicking a switch, the lights dimmed and loud speakers that were hidden cackled on.

Arnold would never forget that moment, nor would anyone else in that room.

The moment the music started, the teacher grabbed Gabriella forcibly bringing her to his body and jerking her to the right but keeping their hands locked. In return to the movement, her right leg swooped from being stationary into a beautiful upwards line and then coming straight back down only to curve in from of her body. In another powerful movement she once again lifted her leg upwards this time resting it on his shoulder and letting go of his hands her body arching back as he gripped her waist and dragged backwards.

It looked like she was doing the splits while he was dragging her along, and the next steps were just too quick to follow. From standing upright and doing a quickstep around the studio, to twisting several times around the teacher, to a lift onto his shoulders and down into a between the legs swing, everyone was mesmerized by the sight.

None, more so then Arnold.

Though it wasn't really the dance he was watching, super blush on his cheeks as all his eyes could follow were her hips, the curves of her legs…the hourglass shape of her torso. She had muscular appendages but they were thin and misleading of the strength they seemed to contain, a boundless glow flowed around her countenance, she gleamed with a bright smile of endless happiness. He'd not seen her before with such a burning smile of joy, something that only the greatest of pleasures can give, he found himself ashamed for staring at her so…heavily.

He could already feel his brain memorizing her curves, the slender legs that were milky and supple, and the collar bone that was exposed each time she was dipped. All of it was being burned into his mind, but nothing so much as the face that she possessed.

She seemed devoid of all animosity, such a pure and untainted face…he would never ever wish to forget.

Gabriella was beautiful yes, but now she seemed nothing short of heavenly, an angel sent to this earth to torment him with her amazing grace and beauty.

The music concluded with a finale string of combination steps and a risky pose at the end with Gabriella in the splits holding onto his leg and the teacher with his face dramatically looking away. It was like a private show had been held and when it was over applause rang throughout the small studio, passerby's in the hall who stopped to see what was going on even shouted their praise.

"My goodness what a rush!" the man ecstatically kissed Gabriella's cheeks in a common fashion, and hugged her. "I was beginning to think that I was all alone in this forsaken town but the motherland has answered my prayers!"

Gabriella still catching her breath laughed.

"That was amazing!" Phoebe announced while walking over, her fear or disgust of the man nearly forgotten. "I had no idea you could dance like that!"

"Of course, I am Monsieur Cardinal, the famous Talla-Dora!" he stated proudly while clapping his hands and pointing at the students. "I expect all of you to dance with your passion like this young woman here, did you see the joy she expressed, that is what the truth of dancing is! Learn from this bright young girl!" he stated while rushing over to the other students to lecture them about how to correctly stand.

Gerald, who had decided that watching a very hot French girl dance, despite it was with a highly creepy man, stood up and scratched his neck.

"That…was pretty cool." He stated while glancing to Arnold sheepishly.

Arnold just nodded in agreement his throat was too dry to allow him to speak.

The next hour of the class went by without a single hurtful word from either Gerald or Phoebe, who had been paired up once Monsieur Cardinal had actually got the class underway. He had given specific instructions that this time they were only going to learn the waltz, an easy basic three-step version that would allow them to glide across the floor. Enlisting Gabriella's help to assist the other students she went around and answered questions in a more understandable fashion, when the teacher stormed off calling them imbeciles.

Arnold had managed to keep out of the lime-light up until Gerald vehemently tattled on him for not doing any work. Embarrassed that he had actually been trying and failing miserably, he did not want to be the only one humiliated!

Thankfully before Monsieur Cardinal could object to Arnold's sitting in the farthest corner, Gabriella made a b-line to intercept him and promised she would work him hard for the lack of participation earlier.

"Thanks," Arnold let out a snort when the teacher stomped off and flicked another students head, shouting about who knows what. "I owe you."

"_I t_hink _I_ _s_hould be the _o_ne _s_aying _t_hat to _y_ou, no?" she questioned while pulling her hands up, silently asking him to dance.

Arnold glanced towards the teacher who was watching like a hawk from the other side of the room, reluctantly he agreed and took her hands. Mind you, it wasn't because the thought of dancing with her was disagreeable.

He was more nervous than anything, that he would start liking her more than he already did…

They kept fairly quiet while going through the basic steps and the rotation in which they would turn as they began their waltz. It didn't take Gabriella long to figure out that Arnold, despite his objections…wasn't knew to the game of dancing.

"_Y_ou're _f_ull of _s_urprises as _w_ell _a_ren't _y_ou?" she coyly smiled while sneaking him into a pirouette turn and landing it successfully, no mere novice could do that so easily without off-setting the turn.

Arnold blushed, feeling a little jilted at the unintentional reveal. "…I used to dance…with my grandma…"

Gabriella, or rather her Helga side, felt a bubble of immense laughter starting to fill her stomach oh she would definitely be crawling into a hole later to laugh about that one…

"It's not what you think so wipe that look of your face!" he indignantly scoffed while forcing a swivel-pit maneuver and getting her to slightly stumble, she gasped but before protests could be made he quickly recovered her by slipping his right arm around her waist and performing a mid-dip.

Arnold would have continued his flustered rant if not for the heart-thumping laugh she gave off, she was giggling so hard her cheeks turned pink and she had to stop dancing to catch her breath. He couldn't help feel his body jerk with a sensation that he thought wouldn't come back to him for at least a few more years…a feeling he'd had many times in elementary school but had lost in the years after it.

Arnold felt his head start to grow fuzzy and his mind bleak, he was losing his focus!

"Sorry, I…I have to go!" he quickly apologized, and shouted to Gerald of his early departure, though the receiving end didn't acknowledge it too focused in counting steps.

Gabriella didn't even bother to say anything to Phoebe as she darted out the room after Arnold, she felt horrible she didn't mean to make him feel so uncomfortable or even to laugh at him! _Nice going Helga you insane little jerk, you hurt his feelings!_ She couldn't help it as her eyes stung with bitter salty tears, though they had yet to fall as she exited the building to find Arnold standing there covering his face with his hands.

"_A_rnold," she began to apologize but he jerked away as she came closer.

"Please don't," he groaned while dropping his hands and revealing an intense blush that had spread from ear to ear. "I'm sorry but I can't be near you anymore, you…I get confused and I can't focus!"

Helga felt her stomach twist.

Did she just get rejected?


	8. Chapter Seven

A Continuation…

== Hey Arnold! ==

**WHERE IT ALL BEGAN**

By: Final Serenity.

Chapter Seven:

_The Princess of Hillwood._

_

* * *

I can take the rain on the roof of this empty house._

_I'm not afraid to cry every once in a while._

_Being so close…_

_Having so much to say…_

_Watching you walk away…_

Helga sighed and set the pen down upon the pages of the leather bound journal.

It had been a long week and getting even longer each day that passes, or maybe it just seemed that way since the event that had happened the previous Saturday with Arnold at the dance class. Her mind was still reeling about the interlude and what exactly happened for him to become in the state that he was…flustered and nervous, anxious yet he seemed to…to like her!

Deep down though, Helga couldn't help chide herself in saying that so boldly, especially given the fact that he had yet to find out just who he indirectly rejected.

"More tea, hun?" the waitress, Gertrude, asked while hovering the kettle over the small porcelain cup.

Helga nodded her mouth set to silent mode as she stared blankly out the large glass window that overviewed the street.

Today was Thursday and a bright day at that, after a few showers of light rain the world had settled back into a sunny bath and was warming up after its cool rinse. Helga before today had cooped herself up in her home and refused to leave, sleeping on the couch and not changing her clothing for three days and not showering for two. She'd found it hard to maintain her appearance after a crushing blow was dealt to her unprepared heart.

Helga hadn't really thought about anything happening between her and Arnold, nothing serious anyways. She had planned to return to Hillwood and be inconspicuous until the moment that school arrived, where they would so graciously announce her to the former students of P.S. One Eighteen and from there life would move forward. Meeting Arnold and Gerald outside of the grocery store, becoming entangled in Phoebe and Gerald's love affairs and ultimately being slighted by Arnold had definitely not been a passing thought in her jumbled mind.

Now everything seemed, pointless.

Not necessary to the point where she'd start cutting herself or even where she thought of up and running away from Hillwood, but more to the fact that it was given a conclusion.

Where it had all began, it had all ended.

_It's hard to force that smile when I see our old friends, and I'm alone._

_Still harder getting up, living with this regret._

_But I'm doing it._

_I know if I could do it over,_

_I would trade and give away, all the words that I saved in my heart._

_Things that were left unspoken…_

She jotted down while tapping the ballpoint pen and listlessly chewing the end cap. Helga unable to cope with being hold up in her home for too long, got in the shower and washed herself clean. She primped in the mirror and once again started to mull over the mundane aspects of getting ready for the day. Throwing on a comfortable pair of jeans and a fitting tank top, she drove aimlessly around town until stumbling across this small little tea shop that sold not only tea but cookies and other pastries.

It reminded her, if only a little, of the cafés in France and the small corner coffee house she used to walk too every day.

Sitting at a small table near the window she pulled out a leather back book that was medium in size and had a pen hooked in the middle of its pages, her current stopping place as it were and started writing.

In few ways did Helga express her emotions so thoughtfully or even to the fullest that she could describe, from then till now it was still through poetry a means to curb her mind from having the burden of painful thoughts alone. She wasn't as avid a poetry writer like in her youth but she kept it up and was fairly good winning some awards in Paris and international competitions but no one in Hillwood would care about that. No one even talked about her, in the short time she'd been here, not even Arnold. It had been like she never existed and that thought made her somewhat sad.

She didn't want to be forgotten so easily but some things just couldn't be helped right?

_What hurts the most was being so close…_

_Having so much to say…_

_Watching you walk away…_

_Never knowing, what could have been…_

_And not seeing that loving you._

_Is what I was trying to do._

Helga scribed in cursive that she'd picked up with fine loops and thin lines she did a once over and found that she wasn't surprised that the poem wasn't necessarily a very good poem. More like words written in sequence that sounded good but didn't make up the foundation of a true piece, a little sad she'd missed her mark but it was still good and not worth throwing away.

"My honey that is a beautiful poem!" Gertrude quipped while leaning heavily over Helga's shoulder; she was a larger woman so you could imagine the awkwardness.

_Amateur,_ her mind huffed but she smiled against her minds rude remark. "_T_hank _y_ou."

"Well of course hun, you needed a compliment you looked like you were about to cry!" the waitress jolted a hearty laugh while slapping Helga's shoulder. "A girl your age likes to be crossed in love every now and again doesn't she!?"

Helga wanted to roll her eyes,_ more like my entire life with the same person no less,_ but refrained and again just smiled despite what she sounded like the woman was trying to cheer her up.

"_T_hanks _a_gain." She responded coolly while taking another sip of her tea.

Gertrude however didn't leave her company as she sat at the chair across from her, and stared. "My you are a lovely little thing aren't you?" she stated while scratching her chin. "I could use another waitress the corns on my feet are killing me, you interested in a job?"

"That's very kind of you to offer," Helga started but was interrupted when Gertrude stood up and clapped.

"Before you go rejecting my offer just think about it," she put a finger to her head. "Would you rather be stuck at home doing nothing and thinking about everything or would you like to mindlessly work here and not be troubled by your brain?"

The woman made a very valid point. And before Helga could either accept or reject she was being hauled into the back where Bucky the pastry chef and his assistance Parker were currently working. Gertrude announced that, Gabriella was going to be their new waitress and also an addition to their family. Helga was at a loss it happened so fast, she greeted them and was shoved off to the office where Gertrude who apparently was also the owner of the shop handed her several pieces to a uniform.

"…you're so puny," she stated while lifting up another uniform too large to fit her. "I swear all you young girls today need to eat fish, cows and deer in order to get to a normal weight like mine!"

Helga didn't comment that she was actually pretty heavy for her height, considering the muscle mass she had but decided against speaking up and remained quiet. About twenty minutes passed as they pinned and fitted Helga's uniform to sit well on her body and when it did Gertrude paraded her around the kitchen and the dining area to all of the customers that were filling in for lunch.

"Isn't she just the cutest!" the head waitress said while ruffling the blondes hair.

"_I_ _w_ish _y_ou _w_ouldn't _d_o _t_hat…" Helga mumbled trying to fix the mess she'd made.

"Alright hun I don't suppose you've ever worked before?" Gertrude questioned while taking Helga to the counter and showing her the necessary things to know.

Two hours and forty bucks in tips later Helga was right at home in Gertrude's Pastry Palace, where the customers were free to sit and eat or if in a hurry can easily take it too go. Gabriella, as Gertrude so happily pointed out was a natural at dealing with customers and it helped that she was such a spitfire in the looks department. So much so in fact that Gertrude insisted on hiking up Helga's uniforms skirt another two inches and cutting off the puffy sleeves that made it into a sort of tank top with frills.

Unable to win against anything that Gertrude forced on her, Helga just learned to let it slide and enjoy the moments as they were happily without painful thoughts.

The bell above the door rang signaling the entrance of another customer.

Gabriella aka Helga turned to greet the customer and was instantly put off when she saw the sight before her.

Anyone would be speechless at seeing a semi-tall curvy red-head with a massive amount of hair on top of her head and a very tight pageantry dress, sparkling so much you might be blinded by looking at it. Green feathers danced in her curly pulled up rusty colored hair, and flashy green bangles jingled on her wrists. If Helga didn't know any better she'd have thought that she was on some sort of prank TV show where they hold a pageant in your local pastry tea house.

Gertrude on the other hand was not as stunned as she squealed with delight, swooping over to hug the girl. "Lila darling your home!"

"I am ever so glad to finally be back!" Lila replied while hugging the larger woman tightly.

Helga was still reeling from the shock and awe of it all. Lila…that was Lila!? She had grown out of her freckles which were now faded, her big green eyes like a doe were fresh and sparkly. She'd also received a womanly figure with much larger, face it, _extremely_ larger breasts then Helga could have ever hoped for.

It seemed that Lila had grown up just as she expected.

"Oh I still can't believe you lost to that ninny from Benson County!" Gertrude huffed while letting the girl go and angrily stomping her foot. "Her swimsuit was just horrible I swear I saw hair peaking out in unsightly places!"

Lila giggled but put her hand up. "It's really alright I ever so don't mind, she was good at singing which unfortunately was the same talent as me."

"But hun you sang the prettiest I think!" she cooed while patting Lila's hand sympathetically. "Oh my goodness how rude of me! Gabriella, who is from France, this is Lila, Lila Dugan Hillwood's pride and joy our very own little Princess." Gertrude choked up, she had always wanted to be an announcer…

Lila blushed from embarrassment and held out her hand towards Gabriella. "It's ever so nice to meet you, I am Lila!"

Helga didn't know what to say really, she wanted to escape considering… "I am called Gabriella."

The red head flushed as she pulled off the feathers that were stuck in her hair. "I came here straight after the pageant so I'm still dressed like this." She giggled and started combing her hair down.

For whatever it was worth Helga just couldn't seem to get her mind set straight. Lila, her arch enemy was…so not what she'd remembered her to be like. Helga had been sure that the next meeting they would ever have would include her going to jail for assault and attempted murder. But standing before her right now, Helga felt no threat…no impending doom as she used too. Was it because Arnold had made it clear he wasn't going to ever date or even be in some sort of relationship with her?

Or was despite her feelings still being the same towards Arnold, for everyone else…they had been changed?

"_I_ _l_ike _y_our _d_ress it's _v_ery…_g_littery." She complimented, though she could have sworn it sounded more insulting in her mind, it ended up coming out as a compliment.

"Thank you! I wanted to go with a light blue dress that was a little less flashy and more elegant but everyone insisted that I wear green and something that sparkled!" she sighed while picking at the dress. "I just don't think it suits me."

Helga had to agree, it was a bit over the top but wasn't it like that for pageants? "_M_aybe _n_ext _t_ime _y_ou can _g_o _w_ith the _d_ress _y_ou _w_ant?"

Lila smiled at that and sadly shook her head. "That was the last pageant for me, I'm tired of traveling and I want to at least finish my last high school year without worrying about up and coming pageants being held in the fall and spring. I retired after the last state competition."

"_W_ell _t_hat's a _g_ood _t_hing _t_hen_ i_sn't it," Helga remarked while folding her arms, noticing Gertrude had left to do something else. "_T_hen _y_ou'll _g_et to _s_pend _t_ime _w_ith _y_our _f_riends _b_efore _c_ollege."

"Oh yes ever so much time," she giggled happily while motioning for them to sit. "By the way I just have to tell you, I think you are ever so gorgeous!"

"_T_hank _y_ou," she responded and smiled. "_I_ _t_hink _y_ou're _v_ery _p_retty _t_oo."

* * *

It had been a surprising turn of events really, after the work shift was over and Gertrude decided that Gabriella could come back and work whenever she felt like it. Lila and Helga left the small shop and mingled around some of the surrounded businesses, without much of anything else to do. Lila explained her long list of pageants that she'd participated in since the first year of middle school and happily had four winning crowns and several runner-up titles.

Helga much to her own bemusement and shock was not as completely bothered by the red-heads presence either.

She actually thought Lila was rather nice to talk too…odd really…

"Thank you ever so much for the ride home," Lila gratefully smiled while exiting the vehicle, before shutting the door she sheepishly smiled. "…You know you really remind me of someone I used to know."

"_I_ _g_et _t_hat _a lot_." Helga replied while briefly smiling back.

"Her name is _Helga Pataki_." Lila spoke up again while gaining a toothy smile. "She was ever so rough when we were kids but I think despite all that she was really a sweet girl inside."

Gabriella aka Helga Pataki, whom for the first time since she'd arrived in Hillwood and other than being addressed by Phoebe…was mentioned. Helga almost felt a little touched that Lila of all people would remember her the most and even enough to say something about her.

In fact Helga was completely grateful by what Lila had said, her mouth was frozen and she could only manage a smile as a response.

"Anyways thanks again I hope that we could ever so meet again I really enjoyed talking to you today!" the pageantry girl finally exited and darted up her stoop steps.

Of all the people to make the connection…it seemed so weird for it to be Lila Dugan.

* * *

**Authors Note: I don't own that song, but I did cut out bits and pieces of it.**


	9. Chapter Eight

A Continuation…

== Hey Arnold! ==

**WHERE IT ALL BEGAN**

By: Final Serenity.

Chapter Eight:

_Hillwood's Brightest Star._

* * *

"Ouch!" Phoebe moaned while holding her hands tightly together.

Helga rolled her eyes, she barely pulled!

Friday evening had rolled around and much to Helga's dismay plans had been made for her, to go to a certain someone's invitational regional game hosted locally at Hillwood's own high school. She didn't even know that Arnold was on the basket ball team until Phoebe had showed up at her door pleading her to 'doll' her up for the game tonight. She and Gerald though still not yet a couple had been going on several dates and had very successful conversations, Phoebe was extremely hopeful that Gerald will ask her to be his girlfriend again tonight.

Hopefully it would have to be the last night he had to ask too.

Helga was happy for Phoebe but she didn't know why she had to be dragged along, not given the fact that she had yet to tell Phoebe about what happened with Arnold at the dance class or even that she'd met Lila the other day. Somehow with all of Phoebe's smiles and gleeful looks, Helga couldn't bring herself to burden the one friend she had with all of her emotional baggage. Phoebe had been so kind to her in their youth and not to mention that she was acting completely different but love does that to people doesn't it. Makes them act crazy to the point where they would start crawling around in someone's houses air vents to sneak into his room and recover a missing poem book or cassette.

No she couldn't burden Phoebe with her problems, she had to work on it alone and just push past all of it and she could do it…she was strong enough now!

"By the way I hope you don't mind but I invited a few friends to meet up with us at the game," Phoebe said nonchalantly while rubbing her glasses.

Helga sputtered. "You just tell me this now!?"

"Like you just told me Gerald was meeting us at the dance class?" she slyly smirked when Helga in complete defeat resigned from saying anything more.

Since when was Phoebe so devious!? Though it was nice to see her out of the slump she'd been in and getting out in the world, Helga had always imagined her friend to become a serious shut in with the case of the book worms. Thankfully however life intervened and she was getting a slice of it!

Tonight Phoebe was supposed to be the main attraction or attention, for that to be possible she was being dressed to the nine's in Helga's finest attire. Phoebe had objected to wearing such a flamboyant and revealing outfit but the Pataki heiress at least had to win this battle. And win she did over the Asian teen's objections, when she stood in front of the mirror completely and utterly stunned at the sight before her.

Dressed in a silk around the neck tie-top with a low v-neck and an open back, its ties dangled down her spine with shining diamonds, zirconium of course tied into the ends. Her silk top was a favorable light blue color with a pink embroidered butterfly just above the right breast, and several green-vine stitches going down the hems. The skirt that was its complimentary piece was a thigh-length light blue skirt that had a black sheer cover over it that waved all the way to her knees. It too was embroidered with light pink butterflies and vines but with more glitter and sparkling sequins.

It was a beautiful outfit that even Phoebe couldn't reject.

"It suits you just like I thought." Helga stated triumphantly as she pulled Phoebe to sit down, so she could put the final touches on her hair.

"I can't believe this," Phoebe was too ecstatic and felt like a Princess! "I mean I would have never thought of all people this kind of thing would come from you Helga!"

"Gee thanks," she snuffed while gliding a clip securing it on the left side of Phoebe's extremely curled locks. They were tight curls that cupped her face and bounced each time she moved. "I think that people like me of course are the ones who get the best at it…we do have something to prove more than anyone else."

Phoebe half-heartedly agreed her focus unable to maintain on the conversation as she touched her cheeks, the rosy tint of blush the glossy pink on her lips and the pale blue eye-shadow that colored her eyes.

She'd never…ever been dressed up like this before!

"I, I can't I don't know what to say Helga I feel like I owe you so much!" Phoebe gleefully jumped up at the conclusion of her hairpiece being place in and twirled. "I was always so busy with studying that I'd forgotten just what being really girly was like!"

Helga laughed at her dear friend's enthusiasm, only this side of Phoebe was unknown to the outside world. She kept herself reserved and or in Gerald's case she would easily become angry or upset. But with a childlike glint in her eye and a cherub cheek grin she seemed like the world would never bring her down.

"So what are you going to wear?" The Asian girl had completely forgotten about Helga, sheepishly she frowned at her own selfishness.

"Don't worry about me," Helga stated while flicking her hair behind her ear. "You just need to prepare yourself for all of the obscene and flirtatious comments that are going to be flooding your way at the game."

"Oh Helga please no one is going to even notice," Phoebe blushed while touching her hair, lightly as to not deform the curls. "If anything they're going to be looking at you!"

"Hardly," she snorted while sifting through the clothing hung in her closet. "Besides I'm not getting all dolled up like you, tonight is your night so I'm going to lay low!"

Phoebe cringed a bit and sighed. "Helga I…I really wanted to walk next to you, looking like this…" the Asian girl knew she was a selfish creature, and this request was something even she knew was a little too shallow. "I feel like…since you've returned all I am is a shadow following behind you just like…back then…but tonight, just for tonight I feel like I could stand next to you as your equal."

Helga for all that her mind could muster, blushed, felt tears coming to her eyes and choked up all at the same time.

Time had changed the both of them greatly but somehow it seemed things were still the same between them, awkward but completely open. Phoebe one to never show or tell her feelings easily or let a weak side of her out was being honest with her feelings and insecurities. Helga had not thought that because of her appearance Phoebe had become anxious about her own, but that was because Helga had been so used to it that it didn't register.

To everyone who once knew her as the bane of P.S. One Eighteen the little tyrant she had once been, seeing her like this could have a greater shock value then she might have originally thought.

Helga sighed unable to win against Phoebe's silent pleading eyes. "Alright, I'll put something on that's just as flashy!

Phoebe beamed, truthfully there was a second reason she wanted Helga to dress up as well, she would be too embarrassed to go in there like this alone!

Hillwood Falls High was just what you would imagine a high school to be. A large building with several glass windows and two floors though a third one was hidden as a basement level. Its walls were made of redbrick and it had smoke stacks where the old furnace used to be, but hadn't been used for who knows how long. There was a large billboard just on the rim of the school entrance that was lit up with bright words flashing on a black background.

It was just like walking into an amusement park, there were ticket takers and vendors just outside the door of the gymnasium. There were students crowding the halls as well as avid fans of basketball in general sharing their consensus on what the outcome of this final game was going to be. Phoebe pulled Helga this way and that after they'd gotten past the ticket booth and into the mass sea of people that were swarming the halls, the game still had a few minutes till it started.

"Ah! Rhonda!" Phoebe waved while dragging Helga in toe. "I'm glad we found you before it started, thanks for buying the extra ticket by the way."

Rhonda Lloyd as perfectly snooty as ever glanced towards Helga before smiling slightly. "No problem anything for my friends! Did you hear that Arnold was placed on forward, so scandalous don't you think?"

Rhonda as Helga imagined had either become extremely snobbish or she was just still playing the part to get attention when deep down inside she was still super insecure about her own looks and popularity. Though with the fact that she was wearing a dark red halter top and black Capri pants and was showing as much skin as she could…she wondered if a new sort of self-esteem had crept into Rhonda's shallow soul.

"Arnold? Really you would think since his chances of reaching the ball balance 0.993283 against an opponent that has at least two more inches on him, Stinky who is the tallest and has a ratio of 1.332455 success rate would be the better choice." Phoebe replied analytically.

Helga didn't bother trying to get into the conversation, even more so trying to be left out of it when Nadine and Sheena showed up with 'Save the Rubber' shirts on. To be fearfully honest Helga in her perverted little mind had to cover her mouth to stifle the insipid laughter that was fighting to come out. They too were just the same as Rhonda having little change in their physical looks over the five years, but they were filled out in certain places as all girls do when they hit a certain age.

"We'd better get to our seats," Phoebe checked her cell phone and looked towards the doors, where the mass of people were now filing in.

"Wait we're missing someone." Rhonda stated while flicking her hair that was tied into pig-tails with red and white ribbons, school spirit maybe?

Phoebe would have questioned who if the answer didn't come running up in the form of a very tired and panting Lila.

"Sorry I'm late the meeting with my advisor didn't end till five minutes ago!" she squirmed while trying to retie her hair into a bun, though happily smiling at Helga as she did. "Fancy meeting you again here, it's ever so nice isn't it?"

Helga gained a curious look from all of the girls, her tongue clicked as she turned on her French accent. "_Y_es I _a_m _gl_ad to _s_ee _y_ou as _w_ell."

Phoebe was thoroughly shocked from the encounter but given little time to question Helga about it, as they were ushered in through the doors into the gym.

The gymnasium as you could imagine with all the commotion was enormously loud, blow horns and whistles with streamers and colored banners were being waved around to signify who they were cheering for. Lost in the crowds the girls watched as they conducted the ceremony and gave a speech about this and that, nothing of which was important but was all leading up to the best part of the rally. One by one they announced the team players and their numbers, they were running into the gym in a circle and each shooting a basket.

As quickly as they had entered, the game started.

Helga though did play as a kid, didn't keep up with the sport and generally knew who was who and what was going on. Rhonda, Nadine and Sheena were all shouting for them to pass the ball to Arnold because he looked sexy when he shoots the ball, while Phoebe was clutching her hands and hoping that Gerald wouldn't trip or be harmed in anyway.

Lila who sat to the right of Helga sighed. "I just never can seem to follow these things, even when I cheer at the game I sometimes get ever so lost and forget to cheer when they score."

Helga snickered in her mind at that but somehow felt a bit of sympathy. So without much thinking she began explaining the game and the significance that each player had in part to making the match successful. Each time they scored or stole the ball Helga would point to the player and explain the strategic advantages of that current play. Lila gained a bright smile and asked various questions about positions and fouls, mostly the conduct of how the game was played and the penalties.

Half-time had come and gone when Helga had finally decided to take a breather from explaining the game to watching it intently as it was getting down to the nitty-gritty.

Gerald had four fouls, one more and he was out of the game and Stinky had tripped to what looked like twisted his ankle and was sitting on the bench. The new players that had come onto the court were rested but still needed time to get into the flow of the game, where as the other team was pushing strong.

The only person holding solid on Hillwood's team; was Arnold.

Helga hadn't gotten a chance to see him, nor did she feel like she wanted to after what happened…but now she felt herself melting at his sight. Oh how she had missed that face of his which now was so determined, he seemed focused and pressured but never let his face show defeat or doubt. He was tall and graceful as he moved, his body so lean and muscular his golden hair swaying across his face the sweat dripping down…

"Gabriella are you alright, do you have a fever?" Lila asked while gently placing the back of her hand to Helga's forehead.

Embarrassed Helga waved off Lila's hand and shook her head. "_I_'m _a_bsolutely _f_ine I _p_romise!"

Though she said that…

All she could see in the room, all she could feel was her heart thumping…

Watching as Hillwood's brightest star made the winning basket as the final buzzer sounded, the game won.


	10. Chapter Nine

A Continuation…

== Hey Arnold! ==

**WHERE IT ALL BEGAN**

By: Final Serenity.

Chapter Nine:

_The Reason…_

* * *

The game had ended spectacularly with the ultimate win for Hillwood thanks to Hillwood's ace player and obvious MVP of the game, Arnold Shortman. After the finale of handing out the trophies and saying some inspiring words about the upcoming season of sports and the effort put in by the talented students the ceremony was ended. After the game concluded the large mass of crowd headed out of the building and into the parking lot, to talk about what had happened or mostly to discuss the amazing shot that Arnold had made in the last ditch seconds to win the game.

Rhonda had taken off right after the buzzer to where Helga could have only imagined, leaving Nadine and Sheena to hand out the small business cards they made saying 'save the rubber, it can only protect us for so long'. Again after seeing this card and their ever eager faces Helga couldn't help herself start to bubble with laughter and to prevent it from showing, she left to aimlessly wander the halls of Hillwood Falls. Phoebe stayed behind to wait for Gerald to come from the locker rooms and escort her, as she had happily announced after reading his text, to Rhonda's after party which was news to everyone.

Lila had tagged along with her, much to her surprise she didn't feel the least bit hampered by the sickeningly sweet girl's presence.

"That game was amazing don't you think?" Lila blushed while waving her hand figuratively. "Those passes and that last minute shot, oh wasn't that ever so amazing?"

Helga aka Gabriella felt herself grin at the childlike appearance of Lila's somewhat chubby cheeks as they tinted with red and looked so…pinch-able! Helga still couldn't figure out the reason why she'd be so calm with Lila around, not even feeling one ounce of anger or even the smallest bead of regret for the difference in personality between them. She'd come to several conclusions, maturity that and blah, blah, blah but she knew that it had to be something else…and she was leaning towards the fact that Arnold had so easily rejected her, though it wasn't outright nor a proper one. He'd still rejected her in a sense.

"Anyways I know you're new here so," Lila spoke up while explaining the halls of the school and how they worked.

Helga however was not too apt at hearing the explanations as they stopped at a large case in the hall that stretched almost the entire wall. It was lined with dark cedar wood that had been stained and well kempt over the years, the glass had been replaced several times but was clear and without streaks. It was the school's trophy case, a large and unrelenting show of the past curriculum achievements and the special classes or most talented students to pass through the halls.

There were old framed pictures that were discolored and black and white, there were medallions and certificates, ribbons and large glittering trophies of past competitions one. They ranged from bronze to gold, blue to white and all the while naming each person or class that had undergone the task of ensuring that one day it would be displayed just like this.

It might seem odd, but Helga felt somehow nostalgic looking at this case and seeing all its wonders. In France, at the Academy Le Florence, she'd stumbled across a similar thing like this…something that had inevitably been the deciding factor in switching her course in life. Just seeing all of the things that people were capable of, all of the talents that she had yet to explore in the summers of her young life Helga had been exposed to the sheer mentality of never really getting…outside herself. So lost within the turmoil of her own seething emotional barrage of ever agonizing one-sided love, she'd lost the chance to find new talents.

Hillwood had been suffocating her in a sense.

And though she would not truly just blame her lack of wanting to explore the world of hobbies or special skills in Hillwood, when she had been here…so long ago, she'd been consumed with one thing and only one thing.

Helga never imagined that leaving Hillwood would change her so dramatically into what she was now nor did she fail to see the irony of ending up in France, to actually _become_ the _Cecile_ she pretended to be so long ago. Lately she'd been wondering if any of it had done her any good, trying to pretend…but was she pretending? She had been so sure she'd changed into someone else from all those years abroad. Well not entirely of course, mind you she still was temperamental but she didn't show it…it was as if she'd learned to…to…

As if her might had suddenly shouted, _Eureka! By George I've got it Watson!_ Helga stopped mulling over the trophies and stood up straight.

She _had_ changed!

Letting out a relieved sigh she smiled, while turning to Lila. "_T_hat's _y_ou _i_sn't _i_t?"

Lila blushed while waving her hand dismissively. "I was tricked into singing in that competition, I was ever so flustered that Rhonda had entered me into it without my even knowing it!"

That sounded like something Rhonda would do, though if Helga had to guess Ms. Lloyd had somewhat stepped into Helga's old bully shoes over the years. Without a common enemy between the dynamic elementary kids, they were all vying for control. "_I_ _c_ouldn't _i_magine."

"Well you'll see," the red-head sighed while thoughtfully putting a hand on her cheek. "Rhonda is always in everyone's business it is ever so tiresome to hear about this and that."

_Did…Did Lila just complain!_ Had it not been for Helga's uncanny ability to keep a straight face while she was surprised thanks to an incident that happened a few years ago; she was sure she would have gasped and gave an old horror movie scream!

Lila Dugan, ladies and gentleman…was not ever so perfect.

Helga snickered at her own thought, before letting out a yawn and stretching. "_I_'m so _o_ut of _s_hape, _I_ can't _w_ait to _s_tart _s_ocial _d_ance!" she'd let the remark slip, she didn't really want to encourage talking to Lila but…somehow it was rather comfortable…how odd wouldn't you think? Helga talking easily to Lila…but here she was.

"Oh me too, I take at least one class that keeps me in good shape last year was aerobics…Um but you ever so don't want to take aerobics with Curly, he's…well he likes to…anyways my favorite class is Cheer! Though I guess you can't really call it a class." Lila had turned a bit green around the cheeks before quickly shaking it off and giggling.

_No duh!_ Helga was a little in shock that as pretty and smart as Lila seemed…some of the stuff that came out of her mouth was…just stupid. "_W_ell _w_e _s_hould _h_ope _t_hat _w_e _a_re in the _s_ame _c_lass no?"

_Wait…what?_ Helga could not believe what she'd just said.

Lila clapped happily. "I ever so hope we are it would be so much fun we could talk about so much together and I think we'll be ever so close friends!"

"Er…um, oui…_e_ver _s_o _c_lose…" what had she done, sure she liked talking with Lila but that didn't mean she wanted to start being BFF's!

Lila was about to speak again when she let out a squeaky little gasp, lo and behold what had caught her attention so startlingly was coming around the corner being none other than the star of the basketball game and his teammates, followed by a very chatty girl with pigtails.

Arnold, Gerald and Stinky with Rhonda were heading this way.

"Ah…uh…um…" Lila was trying as best she could to fix her hair, and smooth out her dress all while trying to keep from being seen without primping quickly.

For a moment only a moment, did Helga stare with disbelief at Lila, whose blush covered her face in a fiery unmistakable red which seemed extreme considering it blended so well with her hair. Her eyes grew large as they set upon the figure in the middle…the only blonde one.

_Oh…my god._ Helga's mind reeled farther back than humanly possible.

Lila _likes_ Arnold!

In that instance Helga never knew so little of herself, as all the world around her seemed to be silenced except for the laughter coming from the group of teenagers before her. She stood watching them, Stinky hanging on Gerald's shoulder laughing and blushing about his fall. Rhonda flipping her hair around and telling everyone loudly that she knew that this would be the result and that Arnold was of course going to save the day. Lastly there was Lila whom had walked forward with a little more confidence and started to giggle as she and Arnold, spoke in hushed whispers.

There was a world right in front of her that she couldn't breach.

In these years of absence on her part, the peers of P.S. One Eighteen had become…in a sense unreachable and in a place that she knew nothing of.

They spoke of things she didn't know, but they remembered well. They laughed about an incident that she had gained no memory of and all compiled their own opinions contently showing their happiness.

Helga had of course known that this would be the only result from her leaving and that the lack of time she'd spent with them would show. However the bitter kiss of unachievable memories and chilly sorrow of standing outside that circle of friends, pricked at her heart even greater when she saw the faces of the basket ball hero and the pageant princess. They were complacent and indulging in one another's presence, she a beautiful girl with awards to prove it and him an all-round good guy that everyone loves without a shred of jealousy.

She _knew_ she shouldn't have come.

Helga could feel it. That lonely pain that was threatening to surface the strong arc of walls she made around her new persona beginning to crumble. She could feel that sad little girl's feelings that she'd whittled away at for so long were starting to grow exponentially and if she didn't retreat and calm herself…she would explode.

Without a word to even Phoebe, who was talking away bubbly with some of her classmates waiting for Gerald to arrive, Helga slipped out the front doors and into the night.

The crisp bite of cool night air welcomed her as she took a deep breath; her mind was in complete overdrive, of past feelings and new restrictions. If she hadn't stopped herself Helga would have walked right up to Lila and shoved her, telling her if she didn't back off ol' betsy and the five avengers were going to make a reunion tour. How awful the feeling of herself being lost to that old way of thinking, Helga had not hated that side of herself…but she could see now that it wasn't who she wanted to be.

"Hey are you alright?" the random man's voice surprised her a little, as he put a hand on her shoulder.

Helga couldn't figure his seemingly meaningless question, until she felt it.

It was the sour taste of salty liquid just barely reaching the corner of her mouth.

For a moment, Helga hesitated as she reached up and touched lightly her cheek where a tear had strolled down without making its presence known.

She was crying.

Her eyes widened as she quickly shook it off to the worried man and darted away from the sea of people, out of the parking lot and nearly started sprinting as the school building fell behind her. As she picked up her pace, her body started to feel heavy each step was like running with cement on her feet. Her arms were swinging with a limp uneven patterns and her body was beginning to swagger with a crippling fatigue.

Helga was losing this battle against her emotions.

Just the simple scene of seeing Arnold and Lila together had swayed her this much, had made her feel like a complete…fool. Their little world was bound together by a bond that Helga could never share with them; she'd left and thus fallen off the grid in their eyes. The only person who even seemed to have remembered her was Lila and that was hard to swallow even more, now that Helga could see the obvious feelings she harbored for the golden boy.

Perhaps, it was _that_ which shocked her the most.

Arnold's wish for Lila to return his feelings had finally come true…

Her eyes which had been lost in a blurry glaze, finally started to sharpen its vision as she arrived in an unexpected place, her feet unable to carry her further she had to stop. The place that she had met Arnold in a few weeks ago was happily illuminated with lamps lining the paths, or bystanders holding flashlights and lots of different devices to keep the darkness at bay. Helga unable to stand idle started down the walkway, using the sleeves of her sweater to daintily pat the streaking marks of tears trying not to smear her mascara.

She passed several different sized families on her small travel through the park; one was here celebrating the birth of a new baby while another was testing out a new experiment for glow in the dark trees. The bulk of the park on goers was a few families mixed together by the large fountain and oak they were celebrating a little girl's birthday, she was turning six. Helga stood at the large tree that was just a few yards away and watched the happy families open presents and the little girl's face light up.

It wasn't so long ago that she had been close to that age, and her world had seemed so much simpler…if she didn't think about the times she had done something completely crazy.

Helga wondered, if she hadn't been so much in love with Arnold, what she would have turned out like.

A half hour or so passed since she'd arrived in the park and she'd taken to sitting with her back against the oak, her eyes glued to the now roaming family that had started a glow in the dark scavenger hunt. She would have to remember that for her kids one day, if she were to have any, it looked like so much fun.

When to her surprise and utter awe, she saw a figure with a tall silhouette and a very familiar shaped head jogging down the pathway, pulling to each family and without hesitation when he was finished speaking he quickly continued on to the next.

Helga was almost positive that it had to be…

"Gabriella!" he called out, Arnold's face was flushed and glistened a little with the sweat he'd accumulated from his sudden rush.

At a loss for words she stood up and dusted off her dress, he was making his way towards her and she wasn't sure she looked proper to greet him as her other self. "_B_onjour _A_rnold."

When he was a few feet away, he seemed to be put off and stopped walking. "You," he took a few breaths to catch up in the pace of his fast beating heart while knitting his brow and folding his arms. "You took off without saying anything to anyone, do you know how worried Phoebe was!"

Surprise did flood her inside, but a look of ignorance showed on her face. "_S_he _w_as _b_usy _a_nd _I_ _d_idn't _f_eel _w_ell, _b_esides _I_ _a_m _a_ big _g_irl _I_ _c_an _w_alk _h_ome _a_ll by _m_yself." She knew it sounded sarcastic even in her French accent, and it showed when Arnold's face contorted into the slightly angered one he was showing.

"Is that how you treat people who are worried for you!" he barked back, a little louder then he intentioned but didn't back down from his angry persona. "I was trying to find you everywhere and despite Phoebe being worried sick she wouldn't tell me where you lived!"

Helga froze for a moment. Phoebe, if she had really thought that she was in danger she would have spilled out where she was living…and on top of that why is it that Arnold would come to look for her. Surely the basketball star had plenty of other things to do and if Phoebe was worried she wouldn't have asked Arnold to come she would have come herself…that only means that…

Blushing she felt her annoyance lifting as she folded her arms as well. "_Y_ou _d_idn't _r_eally _a_sk _Ph_oebe _di_d _y_ou, _y_ou _l_eft _w_ithout _t_elling _a_nyone _t_oo."

Arnold stammered for a moment unjustly trying to explain himself, before hanging his head and running his hands through his hair. "I was really worried that I wasn't going to get a chance to talk to you, alone…"

Helga only for a moment felt her fist clench, and her hopes…if only a little rise, though a flash of Lila's sweet face squashed those feelings she let out a sigh. "_I_ _w_asn't _r_eally _f_eeling up to _s_ticking _ar_ound…_b_ut _y_ou _p_layed an _a_mazing _g_ame."

"Thanks," he smiled slightly before again a little nervously ran his right hand through his tasseled hair. "I, need to apologize for what happened the other day."

The other day meaning, Saturday at the dance class, Helga supposed.

He let out a defeated breath while covering his mouth slightly but spoke loudly to make up for the barrier. "…You see, I just…I need to say that I,"

In his face, and his eyes and the way he acted, it could only be the tell tale signs of something that Helga had seen before…but not in Arnold.

It was the faces that the girls whom he asked out had made, upon rejecting him.

"_Y_ou're in _l_ove _w_ith _s_omeone _e_lse." She finished his sentence for him as he struggled to continue.

Arnold kept his face as steady as he could but he let some of his features grow saddened. "Yes, I am."


End file.
